Mon Nepu
by Hoaryu
Summary: Nepgear wakes up to find things aren't what they used to be...
1. Change

"Wakey wakey Nep Jr.!"

"Nnngh, just a few more minutes Neptune..."

"Aww come on, it's getting weird having to wake you up all the time!"

As soon as she says that I hear the strangest noises as she leaves my room. Now that I think about it, her voice sounded strange as well...like she was gargling or something. I should probably wake up now anyway, I think Neptune is up to something.

Ooh, but I'm so cozy right now...

"Nep Jr., I need your heeeeeeeeelp!"

I don't want to sound like a bad sister, but Neptune being in danger was just the push I needed to get up out of bed. I wearily get up and prepare to help my sister out of whatever mess she's gotten herself into...but hopefully it isn't too serious and I can take my time getting to her. "Don't worry Neptune I-" I step out of bed and after a few steps my foot lands in something warm...and gooey. I brace myself for a hard landing, but I find myself myself landing on something nice and fuzzy. "Goodness Neptune, for once I'm glad you've left something laying around." I didn't even bother checking to see what I landed on, but at least I'm wide awake for the most part.

Watching my step I avoid the little globs of...I think pudding my sister left behind in her rush to the kitchen. I hear the sounds of something really loud and gelatinous bobbing about, and I see what looks like my sister barely reaching for the sink. "Oh goodie, you finally got out of bed. Would you be a doll and scoop me?" I look at the small pink figure jiggling about to turn at me, and notice that is in fact...my sister. "Ne-Ne-Neptune!?" She looked at me quizzically as if nothing was out of the ordinary with her head tilted. "Yes, my fluffy younger sibling?" F-fluffy? No, I can't get sidetracked by her odd comments.

"Um...nothing. What was that about scoops?" I ask as I head toward the sink, only to see it filled with the same goop that made up my sister, draining away very slowly. "Wh-what the goodness is this!?" I'm taken by surprised and I step back in shock, but Neptune throws herself in the way. "You were still asleep and I was really craving some cookies, so I was gonna help myself to some..." She giggled as she nudged me back forward. "...so I hopped up onto the counter to get them, but then I slipped and almost got stuck in the sink. But seriously I need you to scoop me outta there, it's a pain losing a chunk of me that large."

That doesn't sound good, so I grab the nearest pair of bowls and furiously start scooping out globs of...my sister. Eww it sounds so wrong, but I have to do this, who knows where she could've ended up had she gone down the drain! Oh no, I can't think strange things like that, I don't even know what's happening...why is my sister so icky and slimey!?

"Thanks Little Sis, although you could have done a better job at not flinging it all over the place." She said with what I think is a smile as she went to collect her...pieces. "Goodness, I'm going to be sick!" Clutching my mouth and holding my stomach, I hurried past her and ran as fast as I could to the bathroom before...no, I can't do that, I have to keep it together. I make it to the bathroom and wash my face as I try to grasp the situation...but before I can even attempt to make sense of it all I look into the mirror and see my face, but it's not exactly mine. At least...it isn't mine from what I remember last time I saw my face.

The first thing I see is my little D-Pad accessory has been replaced by a strange curved horn, and when I try to pull it... "Ngh, is this...real?" I pull and pull, but I only succeed in yanking my own head foward in my attempt at prying this...thing out of my head. I take a strand of my hair and notice that it's a little curly now, as if someone had...no, the only ones here are Neptune and Histoire, and they wouldn't mess with me in my sleep. "Wha...what is this!?" My wrists are covered in...the most adorable wristbands I've ever-"Goodness, what am I thinking!? This is all just a weird dream!" I back up in a mixed torrent of horror and admiration as I see myself clad in a wooly replacement of a dress. I look down and see little wooly anklets cov-Ah, what am I thinking?

"No, this can't be! What's happened to us!? Ne-!" I call out to my sister as I turn to run and search for her, but she was already approaching the door, probably checking up on me. I tripped trying to stop myself from bumping into her, and instead landed...inside her!? I'm completely surrounded by...Neptune as she loses her the shape in her legs, with me stuck inside. My cries for help go unnoticed as I fail to even make a noise through her jelly. "Oh come on, I just pulled myself back together!" As quickly as I had gotten in her, Neptune makes some strange gestures and gently forces me out, leaving me at her...base...dazed and confused.

"What's gotten into you lately? You've been acting all kinds of weird." She said as she started to rebuild her self from the ground up. "Seriously, if I had known you'd be acting like I wouldn't have bothered trying to wake you up." How am I the weird one, you're a...a...goo girl!

"H-how long have we been like this!?"

"Ummm...always?"

"Wh-what...what the GOODNESS!?"


	2. Soaring

"We've always been like this!?" I'm so confused, I don't remember ever being covered in so much wool. "N-Neptune, I think I would've remembered being a...sheep..." I pick myself up off the ground, still in shock over being changed into a monster. Why am I different monster than my sister though? Sure this doesn't make sense in the first place, but still... Just as that thought crossed my mind, Neptune had finished reshaping her legs and was back on her feet. "Ah finally, good as new!" I doubt she'd give me the answer I'm looking for, but it's worth a shot.

"Hey Neptune, why are we so different?" She seemed too busy admiring her new lower body to give me a serious answer...I don't remember her legs and hips being so...womanly. "Ooh! Aah! And pose!" "Neptune!" "Hm? Oh sorry, I dunno...whoo!" I knew it was pointless to ask, she's so busy with her new figure and silly poses. I think I need to step outside for a breath of fresh air to clear my head, I'm still not used to Neptune's jiggling noises and it's making me a little sick. As I head for the door I hear my sister's...goo steps not far behind. As I make my way to the front door and turn the knob to open, I hear someone gasping on the other side.

"Noire? Oh thank goodness, I need your help!" "Nepgear, wha-" I pull her hand before giving her a chance to speak, but she withdraws it immediately with a hiss. "Nepgear, what in the world has gotten into you? Did you hurt yourself?" She asks me sternly as she inspects our hands for some odd reason. "N-No? Neptune is-" After getting a good look at her, I think Noire might have been changed as well. Her eyes were still a deep red, but something about them reminded me of marbles, and her hair looked a little messy. It was a cute kind of messy, the kind that made me want to rub-No, I have to focus on seeing if Noire had an extreme change as my sister. I glance at her hands and her nails had been replaced by short claws. She even had cute little cat ears sitting on top of her, and they twitched a little as she leaned to my to look behind me.

"Oh Noire, not you t-" "Shh..." I turned around to see Neptune, back to her normal proportions standing about nonchalantly. She's up to something, and it looks like it's giving Noire the creeps or something. After a few seconds she brought my attention back to her, looking a little more relaxed now that things have settled down a bit. "Did you have another bad dream or something Nepgear? I've been telling you if you don't shave soon all that wool will have you sleeping for days...or worse." Wait, am I...am I too fluffy or something? Before I can ask what she meant, I hear Neptune whispering Noire's name very quietly...or at least I think that's what she's doing. Noire's ears twitch again and she quickly moves past me to catch Neptune in the act. "Nyaaaah Neptune, you know I can't stand it when you do that to me!" "Aw, but it was the only way to get you to notice me with the way Nep Jr. hogging you. Anyway, check this out!" As she explained herself she spun around a bit and had taken the form she was working so hard on earlier.

"Whatcha think Noire?" It's nice to see Neptune is still her silly self, but Noire seems a little too different right now. I turn around and see Noire has completely frozen...except for her slender, black tail waving gently side to side. I want to check if everything is ok, but I feel as if I get too close to her I'll break her concentration. "Are you...purring, Noire?" She doesn't respond at all, but that's definitely the sound of purring coming from her. "Aw Noire, I know you can't help but be amazed by all my gelatinous glory, but I think you're creeping my sister out." I don't think Noire is listening to either of us, she's just slowly inching toward my sister lookin as if she's going to pounce at any second. I silently excuse myself and walk as quickly as possible away from them, but as I gain more distance I hear a clumsy crash and Noire yelling. "S-Stop teasing and get over here you...you...delicious idiot!"

I walk and I walk until I'm out of breath and the basilicom is completely out of sight. With a sigh of relief I take in the peaceful scenery...only a few tress and plains as far as the eye can see. Now that's I'm outside, I've finally noticed how nice today is. "Aah, I think this is just what I needed..." I sprawled onto the grass, letting my feet fly into the air and landing on the soft meadow I've found myself in. It feels so good I'm tempted to stay here for the rest of the day and laze about. I'm sure no one will mind if I relax out here and relieve some stress. The cool breeze and warm sun are doing wonders for me already, but now I suddenly feel like I could fall asleep...at any...mo...

"...Geeeee..."

Who could be yelling at me this hour, and why do they sound so far away? I sit up rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I scan the area looking for whoever is calling me. My nap must not have been as long as I thought, the sun is still up and beaming down on me. Hmm, itt feels as though I've also had a snack recently, but I don't remember bringing any.

"Geeeeeear!"

The high-pitched shrieking was getting closer and started sounding a little familiar. I stand and look all around me, but there isn't a single person in sight for what seems like miles. I hadn't noticed when I woke up, but there's a lot of...stuff in my mouth, and no matter how hard I try I just can't seem to stop chewing it. As I reach to see what I've been nibbling on something I'm suddenly whisked off of the ground!

"Hmmphmph!" My mouth was preoccupied with whatever was in it and refused to let out my cry for help. There wouldn't be much of a point though, I'm already so high off the ground I'm sure that even if I did call for someone, they either wouldn't be able to help or hear me in the first place. Although...for some reason after the initial grab I'm...kind of calm right now. I'm getting this strange feeling of nostalgia as my captor and I arrive at a small treehouse lodged in a tree. The winged person that snatched me off the ground gently put me down and had dove down out of view before I could get a good look them.

Goodness, I just can't stop chewi-

"Nepgear! What are you waiting for? Get down here already!" That sounds like Uni! I look around for a way to enter the treehouse, and I find a nice square trapdoor and lift the hatch. I take a quick peek inside but I don't see anything except a comfy looking bed, chairs, and other bedroom items. I carefully lower myself down with the help of a small hanging ladder and close the door above me, turning to greet Uni. "It's about time you came down, you know you can't come in the way I do."

In shock I swallow whatever it was in my mouth and stare in awe as the strange...bird person in front of me stepped forward and got really close, leaning forward. "You'd be helpless without me, geez." I couldn't even brace myself as I continued staring at her, as she pulled a piece of grass from my face with her lips. "Wh-what? You're a sloppy eater, and I was only cleaning your face a little...s-stop staring at me like that!"

All I could do was giggle nervously as Uni played with the blade of grass she delicately pulled from...f-f-from my lips!? At least the grass was tasty...

Wait, grass!?


	3. Reunion

"N-No seriously, Nepgear, you know how I get when you look at me like that..."

I snapped out of my little giggling fit and came back to reality. Uni was standing before me, blushing and covering herself up with her...wings. Her arm all the way up to her hands were covered in large jet black feathers. It looked as if she could tuck her hands into her wings and take off at any moment. She was covering herself up for some odd reason, and I couldn't quite figure out why, we've been friends for quite a while and she has no reason to hide herself like that.

I seated myself on the simple bed that had been place in one of the corners of the room and took a seat. I need to remain calm and try to figure out what's happening here without worrying anyone. "So Uni, h-how are you today?" I try to start a little small as I stare at the floor boards, doing my best not to stare at Uni's body again. "I-I'm doing fine obviously. Are you sick or something?" She asked as she headed toward me...making strange clacking noises with every step. Her thighs didn't change, but the rest of her legs were changed with black feathers flowing from the knee down to her feet, that have been replace by talons. I can't let myself over react again, I have to keep talking and at least try to get used to this.

"No, I just...had a bad dream or something is all." What if everything that's happened before never really happened? That all the hardships of having to stop the CFW and Arfoire from ruining Gamindustri...was all just part of a really long dream... "Yeah, I'm fine." "Good, because we can't have a repeat of last time..." Uni had come to sit next to me, keeping a little distance between us as she inched a hand toward. "...n-not that I don't mind taking care of you, of course. But I don't want you getting sick, so don't get the wrong idea." Hearing Uni be her usual self is a nice relief and I can't helped but take her hand and smile. She tensed for a bit, then relaxed after she saw the look on my face...Noire reacted the same way, although it may have been because I could've hurt myself on her claws.

"What was that about Uni?" Now would be a good time to try to find out something about myself, being a...sheep girl is still new to me. I hope I don't have to, but I wouldn't know what to do if I bumped into a mean monster. How does a sheep girl even fight? "I'm not surprised you don't remember, you got a little crazy last time..." Her grip tightened a little as she explained herself. I didn't hurt Uni...no, I couldn't have hurt her, she's...she's my best friend! I think she saw the smile fading from my face but she shook her head, as if reading my thoughts, reassuring me that she was alright. "No...I wasn't hurt...but..." Tears start rolling down her cheeks, but she seems...happy all of a sudden. "Even though you were acting on instinct...you...you..." "I what Uni? It's all a blur to me, remember Uni? Please tell me what I did!" She stood up abruptly and gotten in front of me, grabbed both my hands, and with a teary smile, took a deep breath and... "Nepgear, you-"

"Heeeey loooovebirds!~" A voice from far below calls out with a loud thud, rattling the tree. Uni had run towards the window, completely forgetting to finish explaining herself. Wait, that voice sounded like IF! "How many times have I told you just yelling is enough, we aren't deaf!" "And I keep telling you we aren't stupid! We know what you're doing up there!" We?! That must mean...Compa must be down there with her. "Sh-shut up!" She turned back to me with face redder than before, trying to form words. "C-come on Gear, let's get down there and see what she wants." With that she leapt out the window fussing at IF all the way down. It seems I'm most comfortable with Uni already, I didn't even reach out for her as she made her exit. After a quick look around I find another trap door with a makeshit ladder nailed all the way down to the ground, where I see IF and Compa, although something seems off.

After climbing down the tree I look back and see that the house is much higher than I thought...why would anyone want to build a tree house so high up? "You're looking fluffy as always, Ge-Ge." I turn and sure enough Compa was standing right beside who I assume was IF, but...she was completely wrapped in bandages. "Hello, Compa..." Just pretend like this is normal for now and wave, she must be a...bandage girl of some sort...that's kind of sad, but I'm kind of glad I ended up like I did. Her headwraps had covered all but her, one of her eyes, and her mouth...smiling as she waves to me. She wore her usual clothes, but they had several rips and tears underneath revealing even more bandages. Now that I get a good look at her, she looks pale...it's almost as if- "What's wrong Ge-Ge? You're acting as if you've seen a ghost or something." "S-sorry, I didn't mean to stare, it's just I thought...no, nevermind."

"If you keep that up Gear your face will stick like that." IF chimed in, carefully putting her arm around Compa's shoulders. She was like a completely different person from before, with the first noticeable change being her jacket...maybe it wasn't the jacket itself, she's much taller than I remember. That, along with the tie and the dress she was wearing, were almost blood red in color and gave IF a more professional look. On top of sporting a pair of glasses she had a pair of horns jutting out of her, though they were completely different from my single one. Her's came from farther up her head and curved down down a little...they're kind of cute actually. "So how long are you going to stand there staring at us? We're going to fall behind schedule at this rate."

She pulled out one of the many cell phones she had from the bandolier she had wrapped around her waist. "Come on, if we start heading to the Guild now we'll barely be able to make it in time." She turned, with Compa still under her arm, started walking back to Planeptune. As Compa put her head on IF's shoulder, tail rose from underneath her jacket and started darting about playfully. Uni swoops down from the sky and begins walking with me, trying to catch up with the other pair. "Ah, that was a nice cry..."

"What were you doing just circling above us Uni?" "N-nothing, let's just hurry up and get the Guild." I could have sworn I heard her say something just now. "Oh...ok then." She looks as if she just relieved a lot of stress, so it's probably for the best that I don't question her too much about it. "Oh, what are we doing at the Guild anyway?" She flashed a grin at me as gave me an answer I didn't quite expect.

"Hunting lesser monsters...thinning some herds...feeding...the usual." She couldn't contain that cute smile of hers, but she wasn't clear on what she meant.

"Oh, we'll be having lunch and then hunting other monsters, right?" She kept on walking, smiling as we continued on our way back to my home.

Now that I think about it, what would a Dogoo taste like anyway?


	4. Trouble Brewing

I wonder if everyone else has gone through a change like us? Neptune is a weird jelly girl, Uni is bird girl, and I don't even want to imagine what's happened to Compa. IF seems to be the most normal out of all of us, even if she does have a pair of horns and an odd spade-tipped tail. What about Blanc and-

"We're here Gear." IF snapped me out of my thoughts as we headed into the Guild. I entered expecting the worse...but my fears were put to rest as I saw there were more humans than monsters in here. Actually, after looking around and getting a better look at the area, we seem to be the only monsters in here. "What a relief, everything is normal." "Of course everything is normal, it's our job to keep it like that." "O-Our job, right..." She paid no attention to the confused look on my face and guided us to the nearby receptionist at the counter.

"Good day Mrs. IF, Mrs. Compa." The lady at the counter paused to take a look at me and Uni, smiled, and turned back to the pair in front of me. "Are these...?" "No, they're friends of ours." "Ah, how can I be of assistance to you today?" Their voices trailed off as I couldn't help but to turn around and just watch everyone go about their business. If we're going to be fighting, how in the world are we going to do so without weapons? I turn to see Uni, her eyes narrowed, searching for something as she looked further into the Guild.

"Uni." "Hm?" "If we're hunting other...monsters...how exactly are we going to fight them?" She sighed and continued scanning the building. "First of all, we're hunting lesser monsters, most aren't worth that much effort. We don't really need weapons to fight them." She turned to look me in the eye as she kept explaining. "I mean, if we really need to use them we will, but that will hardly ever happen unless-"

"Oooh, a new face, and she's a cutie!"

"Do. Not. Turn." Uni had completely frozen in place looking me in the eye wearing a very serious expression on her face, whispering directions to me. Out the corner of my eye I could see a bright red head of hair swaying forth, with an odd strand of her bobbing back and forth. "Just ignore her and she'll go away." I don't want to be rude to someone, especially when they sound so nice. I shake my head, smile, and turn to greet this friendly new face. "Gear, no!"

The person that now stood before me was a little taller than Gust, yet her clothes were much more exotic. I stared past her big, white-streaked bang into her gray eyes and...Aww, she's so adorable, why would ever want to ignore someone like this? I can't get over how...cool her clothes are! Her sleeves were completely detached from the rest of her outfit exposing her shoulders. I also couldn't help but notice her fancy dress, because it reminded me of a flower with the way it was arranged, exposing her thighs and tight shorts. Her bust was...enormous for a girl her size, and exposed around the center... She must be so proud... Wait, why am I noticing these things!? "Like what you see?" She said as she threw her hands on hips and puffing out her chest, brimming with a wide smile. I was rendered speechless as she showed off her bouncing breasts, winking and giggling at me. "Hehe, it's official, you're gonna be my pet!" She whispered flirtatiously, pointing directly at me. I don't know what she meant by that but when she said that she turned and skipped off, looking back and giggling to herself. I...I never found what her name was...

"Gear!"

A stern voice calls from behind...it sounds so far away...

"Nepgear!"

"Y-yes?" I turn back to see IF and Compa glaring at me with looks of disapproval written all over their faces. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Why didn't you listen to Uni?" "Wh-what do you mean?" Why is IF fussing at me like this? All we've been doing is standing here waiting for her and Compa to finish their business and be on our way. "I'm sorry IF, I took my eyes off of her for a second and she attacked. I tried warning Nepgear but she wouldn't listen." Uni apologized...fearing for the worst I assumed.

IF sighed and put her face in her hand and shook her head in disappointment as Compa folded her arms. "Looks like the Dogoo Infestation won't be so boring now, will it dear?" With another sigh IF continued shaking her head. "I would have preferred boring Dogoos over having to deal with that crazy midget..." Midget? I look around to see if I could spot who she was referring to, but there was no around that stood out to me. "Don't bother looking Gear, she's probably long gone by now."

With a final groan IF took her face from her hand and shrugged. "So much for letting the girls wander off on their own and doing their own thing. Uni, you'll have to watch Gear. Compa, you and I will have to hold off on taking care of our share and make sure that troublesome woman doesn't make her move." Compa simply nodded and Uni stood straight up facing her, silently waiting her next order. "Wh-who did I-" "Nepgear, please. The more you think about it the harder things will be become if...no, you're better off just not worrying about it completely." Before I could ask what she meant, she placed her hands on mine and Uni's shoulders, and guided us toward our next destination.

I get the feeling I'm missing out on something really, really important. I think I may have overheard someone mentioning heading to Virtua Forest, and that brings back memories of earlier times...back when everybody was normal. That was back when IF and Compa had saved me from the Gamindustri Graveyard, and they brought me to the very same forest in order to bring me back up to speed. It's nice that the girls haven't changed a bit, but can the same be said for the others?

I let my thoughts wander, reminiscing about the past as we approached the forest...my first mission as a monster girl...


	5. Starving

_I forgot I can't actually edit things once I've uploaded them. Silly me, I had actually had a little something to say last time. Please excuse the way I've formatted these, I'm still getting back into the swing of things and I'm readjusting still. I believe I've gotten a hang of things at ch7, so please bear with this one and the next, as I've done a little readjusting during editing. That and there's the updates. I'll try to keep things going at a decent pace and keep things rolling for the handful of people that might want to keep up._

"Listen up ladies!" IF's voice boomed as we entered Virtua Forest. Uni and I both instinctively stood at attention as she started talking, this is the first time I've seen her acting so...strict. "I'm aware that this isn't your first mission, but you know the drill. This is a Guild mission, so there better not be any screw ups!" That's right, according to everyone else we've always been like this...I just need to defend myself until this is all over and hope there aren't too many Dogoos.

"Don't go to the depths of the forest, don't challenge anything if you're unsure about it, and most important of all-" "Have fun!" Compa chimed in as she threw he hands in the air, knocking some of her bandages out of place. "C-Compa!" She immediately grabbed some of the bandages and started rewrapping her back up. They look so cute together when they're like this...even with Compa looking like she was in a horrible accident.

As I stared at them I felt a hand close around mine and start leading me away. "Come on Gear, let's get going." Uni keeps a firm grip on my hand as we head into the forest, paying close attention to our surroundings. I should start paying attention as well, it wouldn't be fair to let her do all the work by herself.

The forest feels familiar enough but at the same time there are...subtle changes as well. The clearings were much wider than I remember, and there were more than just Dogoos playing about. There were other tiny blue monsters abound, but they had strange faces and were always smiling. "You're better off ignoring those, they're much smarter than what we're after. Besides we're almost there."

Sure enough the next clearing we headed into was full of angry looking Dogoos, barking and defending their territory from the foreign monsters. "So...the Dogoos are getting too aggressive and are trying to claim everything as their own, and it's our job to make sure that they don't overpopulate the area?" At least, I think that's the point of this mission. "Um, yeah? I swear Gear you're acting really weird lately. These monsters are so weak it's easy for them to just overtake things with sheer numbers, and sometimes it gets to be a bit too much for humans. I'd like to do something more than this grunt work, but I can't complain..." She said as she stretched her legs and arms. "...especially when there are so many tasty things choose from!"

Uni bolted off and immediately glided into the small pack of Dogoos, startling all but the ones near the center, who seemed to be barking orders to the others. Most of them had scurried off into the other parts of the forest by now, leaving only the rugged looking ones in the center and a few scattered around the edges. She seemed to be having too much fun as she screeched and glided about, plucking them off the ground and...devouring them!?

"Wh-wh-what the goodness!?" My legs give out and I fall back in horror...Uni is taking big chunks out of the Dogoos as she glides around the clearing, lowering their numbers. I can't...I can't even fight these things, much less EAT them! I have to go hide somewhere before things get out of hand. I clumsily get to my feet and try to retreat before-

"Bowoo!?"

A stray Dogoo noticed me and started heading in my direction...I don't think I've ever seen monster so small look so angry. It howled as it leaped at my face, snarling and growling at high speed. In a panic I shut my eyes waiting for the inevitable. "Leave me alo-!"

My head jerks forward and I hear a yelp as I fall to the ground doubled over in pain. I manage to stop my fall with one hand while clutching my stomach, doing my best to keep senses about me. "Ngh...Un...i..." Uni is too busy darting about to notice me, and that Dogoo landed in front of me...stopped moving.

I tried calling out to her, but my stomach had me convulsing too much to get my words out properly. "That...monster..." I...need to get to it for some reason...it's getting harder to think clearly...

Blinding pain shoots throughout my body as I drag myself towards the Dogoo, who still hasn't moved from where it fell. "Just...a little...closer..." I can feel my heart racing the closer I get to it...I think...I'm going to lose control... "...Got...you..." I finally got close enough to grab it while panting wildly, and getting my other hand on it securing it in place.

"Heh...heh..." I don't know why I'm giggling, but I feel so...happy that I finally got my hands on it I can't help myself. With the Dogoo in my hands I've worked up the will to get on my knees and bring it closer to me, admiring it's motionless body. It's still warm...it would be a waste if I only looked at it...

"Ha...ha..." I'm overwhelmed with joy.

I bare my teeth as I dig into the Dogoo and...it's absolutely...delicious! Before I knew it there were only little puddles of it's remains...but I'm still starving. The little...morsels in the middle have refused to move from their spot as some winged figure circles them from above.

Staying low to the ground I crawl behind their field of vision, waiting to get behind them before I strike. Whatever was distracting them seemed to want to help me out, as it stopped circling and landed directly in front them...good. The moment it gets their attention I make my move, charging forward and breaking into a full sprint.

The leader of the pack...I need to find biggest one...

"There!" At the front of the small pack was a deep blue, slightly larger than normal Dogoo defending itself and others in in the center of the clearing. The winged figure had jumped out of the way as I tackled the Dogoo leader, tumbling forward and mauling it with my hands and teeth, but it's far more resilient than it's minions. It's barks are loud and ferocious but it's no good, the others were frozen stiff as we rolled about clawing and fighting each other. It's putting up a decent fight as well, but I refuse to lose...I'm far too hungry to lose this. I get into position as I slam it into the ground, ignoring it's useless bites and barks.

I reel back as far as I can and bring my head down as hard into the Dogoo leader. It yelps as my head collides with it and struggles to get free...but that's something I can't allow. I can't let something so big and...tasty looking get away from me. I hammer my head, again and again, down on the increasingly slow moving lump of jelly. I pause briefly from smashing our heads together as it's cries for help come to a stop...

I waste no time burying my face into my prey, tearing through it's gooey body as it's pack scatters. That strange winged figure's shadow had approached right before I could finish my meal, calling out to me. I could barely make out what it was saying but it started dragging me off before I could finish the remains of my catch. It brought me into the cool shade of a nearby and sat me up, forcing me to look at it. This new thing would make a nice...replacement...but I don't want to waste those last bits of Dogoo. I can't take my eyes off of-

"Nepgear!"

I felt a sharp pain shoot from my cheek as a blurred Uni cleared up in front of me. "Nepgear, what in the world happened back there!?" Wh-what happened to me? The last thing I remember was a Dogoo flying at me, and now I'm under this tree wondering why Uni struck me. I reach for my cheek and to my surprise I find something cold and soft stuck there. I catch a glimpse of blue jelly as Uni hurriedly wiped it off my face. "Look, I'm sorry for interrupting your meal, but we have to get out of here, now!"


	6. Seeing Red

_Just one more chapter before we officially hit the new style of writing. For me anyway. I'm sure things will be much easier to read for sure next chapter. I'm terrible at these preview...author note things, but special thanks to SRT for pointing out I can in fact edit things after uploading them. Show's how much I actually explore this site, right?_

* * *

"Uni, why-"

"Shhh."

She covered my mouth abruptly and held me down to the ground. Before I could come to my senses properly I heard loud clicking and heavy footsteps. "We need to get out of here." I didn't have time to make out what she said before she started motioning for me to move along. As we crawled on our stomachs the clicking was interrupting by a loud, bellowing roar that shook the ground.

Branches and leaves fell from above as the beast that roared began inhaling deeply, frightening Uni. Her eyes widened as a thin beam of light blazed a trail into the trees above us. She shook her head and pressed her head down onto the ground before forcefully pushing mine down as well, the clicking turned into screeching as a loud crackling sounded off in the distance...and those sounds had started getting closer and closer.

The sound of explosions fill the air and the ground around us shakes as the screeching continues. All kinds of monsters were panicking and trying to escape as trees shattered and debris flew everywhere. Uni started crouching, making sure to stay low to the ground. "We gotta get out of here!" Another roar bellowed from behind us as crunching and snapping noises overpowered the sound of explosions.

She grabbed my hand, keeping me low to the ground, and sped up. As the explosions died down I could hear the ripping and tearing of...what I hope isn't what I think it is. It would be a stupid idea to look back now...all I could do was run. All we could do was run as hard as we could away from the terrible noises and destruction raining down around us.

"I think we can...stop now..." I've been wanting to slow down for a while now but Uni has been pulling me nonstop, making sure that we're very far away from the that booming roar. "Uni...please..."

My entire body was burning up from our long run and I have no choice but pull away from her...I have to rest. I take a few more steps before I'm forced to my knees in hopes that we've made far enough way to catch our breath. "I think...we're safe now...Gear..." I think Uni have been more winded than me, she sat down with a thud and took a deep breath. "Ugh...I would've been able to get us out of there easily had it not been for the trees...but..."

She crawled over to me, looking me straight in the eyes having already caught her breath. "What you did to those Dogoos was kinda scary Gear. I wonder..." She placed both her hands on my cheeks and tilted my head side to side, checking for any signs that might lead to why I acted so scary, according to her.

"Hmm...I don't see anything different about you...are you feeling any dif-Oh!" "Wh-what's wrong!?" I flinched as she moved her hand from my face and straight towards my head, moving me back and forth as she rubbed it vigorously. My...horn? What the world could've happened to my horn, and why is this making feel funny? "Uni please, I feel...weird when you do this."

"There we go, you had a little Dogoo goop stuff stuck up there. Let's have a little taste..." She licked her fingers clean and threw herself on me for some reason. "Ooho, blueberry!" "U-Uni?" "You were so fierce back there, tearing that Dogoo apart. Sure you got a little carried with it, but that's the ferocity to be expected of my special Gear." There she goes again with that the 'special' talk again. I'm missing something but if I ask her what she means by all this talk I might end up making her cry again.

"Don't you ever mention this to anyone, but the only reason I was able to make it this long was because of you. I..." She readjusted herself holding me tighter as she blushed. "...I'd probably be long gone by now if it wasn't for you. Today was my turn to help you out..." I think she might have realized what she getting ready to say, but she let go of me and sat straight up facing away from me. "...b-but that's only because I need to start repaying my debt to you, got it?" I have to admit, seeing Uni being herself like this is just what I needed after our brush with death. "Hey Uni." "Y-yeah?" "How did I get Dogoo goop in my horn anyway?" She turned around with a confused expression on her face.

"You headbutted the snot out of it, silly. I can't blame you for forgetting though, it all happened so fast and then those bigger monsters came out of nowhere. But we should probably start trying to find our out of here. IF will have our butts if she found about this." She stood and feathered herself off and offered to do the same for me, so I got up and let her dust me off as well.

"Where do we even go from here Uni?" We both looked around with puzzled looks on our faces, trying to find out which direction would be best to head toward. "We should head...this way." I look down in the direction she pointed and after squinting as hard as I could I was able to see a brighter area...maybe a clearing. My legs are a little sore still, but I should be able to make it that far with no trouble.

Uni and I remained silent as we made our way to clearing in the distance, but something was off about everything all of a sudden. What little monsters we saw were abnormally quiet and fled as we passed them, spooking Uni into speeding up a little. "I don't like the looks of this Gear, we should probaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Uni flew into the air feet first as what sounded like a whip cracked among the trees. "Uni!" She eventually stopped and bobbed back down, dangling by her foot from a thin looking strand of dark rope. "My leg...I can't feel...my..." Who would leave a trap like this lying around? I have to find a way to get Uni down from there before things get worse! Stay calm for goodness sake Nepgear, I just need to find where the rope is coming from and take care of it from there.

The nearby brush started rustling followed by a disappointed voice. "Awww, I bagged the wrong one!" A short red-headed woman came tumbling out of the nearby bushes, smiling with at me with her arms folded. She had a large gold dragon wrapped snug around her waist...but she's so tiny...there has to be something going on with that thing. "I never properly introduced myself when met at the Guild, did I?" I back up slowly, shaking my head as this woman approaches me while...accentuating her chest. "Heehee, I see the look in your eye, you do remember Red!" R-Red? I have no idea who this person is!

I shook my head even more in confusion. "Maybe you don't remember me after all..." She stopped trying to get near me and narrowed her eyes, looking me up and down, making me feel...dirty. "I guess I laid my charms a little thick last time, oh well..." She pulled out a pair of yo-yos and began playing with them, with an even more lewd look on her face. "...I'll have plenty of time to make sure you remember me!"


	7. Vs Red

_I was originally going to leave Red out of this because she didn't appear in mk2, but I didn't think that would be a good enough reason to exclude her from this. After actually getting some input about her, I realized I missed out on a pretty fun character in HDN. Hopefully you enjoy Red being herself in this new world._

_ SRT: Yeah, changing everything to that layout is weird for me, although that's probably because I already know who's saying what. But after looking at it it's actually better, so yeah, got more things to look out for I suppose.  
_

_ mega-dark: Actually, the inspiration came from someone asking for a Slime Histoire, and we got to thinking what everyone else would be. While the encyclopedia helped, most of the ideas were based on the girls and their personalities and quirks. Catgirl Noire was inspired because of Tsunako herself, and Slime Neptune was originally going to be 100% pudding, but then she'd end up eating herself. Unfortunately for Histy she got stuck being a fairy because well, tiny Histy is best Histy...IMO.  
_

* * *

"What's your name, my little lamb?" The woman named Red asked me as she inched forward a little. I get this horrible feeling in my gut that tells me to run away, but I can't do that, not with Uni tied up and in trouble. I can't run away from my friends in need again...

"N-Nepgear." I clasped my hands around my mouth in surprise as an answer unexpectedly escapes me. Wh-why did I answer her so obediently? I back up, trying to put more distance between us, looking for a chance to save Uni. "G-goodness no, I-I didn't say that!"

She laughed and continued advancing towards me, forcing me to back up and bumping the back of my head into a nearby tree. As I winced in pain the look on her face intensified as she pressed herself gently onto me, staring me in the face. "Aw, did you hurt yourself? If you come home with me I can...take care of you." I'm so scared I can't even build up the courage to tell her to push her away. "I don't know what I'll do with your little friend up there...maybe I'll just leave her there, it's you I want after all. I'm sure the monsters here would like to care of her for me."

The moment she said that something deep down awoke inside me. The thought of Uni being left behind...just hanging there struggling to stay awake. No, I won't let that happen. I can't let that happen. "G-get away..." I snapped at her, but I was still fearful and it was the most I could muster...or so I thought...

"What's with the angry face? You want your friend to come along as well? I guess I won't mind that too much if it makes you happy." Her words mocked me as she pushed herself on me even more as she tossed as aside her yo-yos, throwing her hands to my sides as if to keep me from moving. She purposefully took her time as she got on her toes to bring her face closer to mine.

I've had to endure being imprisoned in the Gamindustri Graveyard for three years, deal with the CFW to save our sisters, and defeated Arfoire once and for all...and I haven't felt as disgusted or angry as I do right now. I clenched my fists and grit my teeth, biding my time and waiting for a chance to break free from her. "...you..."

"Shush now, it'll be all over soon..." Red said in a hushed voice as she barely reached my face. Her height worked in my favor as she struggled to get closer to my face. "Just...a...little more..." This is my chance to get away from her!

"Get! Away!" I cry out as I attempt to headbutt her away while she's distracted with her size. I only manage to graze her as she jumped back with a playful look on her face. "Leave me alone! Leave me Uni alone! J-just...just get away from us!" I charge at her with tears in my eyes in hopes of fighting her off. I will save Uni...I have to! Please don't miss, please don't miss...

"You're a fiesty little lamb, Nepgear. I can't wait to take you home and-"

"B-be quiet!" I yell as she moves out of the way tripping me as she giggles to herself. I don't even have time to pick myself up off the ground before Red is on top of me, flipping me over and pinning me down by the shoulders. The way her eyes lit her up as she lowered herself on me sent the worst of chills down my spine.

I...I'm helpless as a monster and I've failed Uni. I have no idea what this crazy woman has in store for me, but I'm terrified either way and I don't know what to do. As I lie under Red, trembling in fear, I shut my eyes as they well up in fear of what's to come. "Aw, don't be like that. Pucker up for Red and it will all...be...over..."

"You leave our Ge-Ge alone!" In an instant I could feel Red being lifted off of me as Compa's voice rings out from the distance. I open my eyes and see bandages wrapped around Red's torso as she goes flying back through the air landing next to Compa.

"C-Compa!"

"Just a second, I need to finish wrapping things up here." She said as she finished tying Red up, laughing at her own joke in an attempt to make me smile.

"Did she do anything to you?" She asked, helping me up to my feet and brushing off my wool.

"N-no. You came just in time. Thank you, now we have to get Uni down and-"

"No! You're not taking my little lamb away from me!" We look over back to Red and she's already worked her way through most of the bandages. She wormed her way out of Compa's bandages, tearing them to shreds with a pouty look on her face. "I saw her and no gonna get in my way!" She snapped her fingers and in a puff of smoke she pulled...a giant toy hammer from her sleeve?

"How the goodness!?" She's angrily swinging it about as she throws her tantrum, making Compa push me aside.

"Go take cover Ge-Ge, I'll handle Ms. Red by myself." She began faintly glowing and I could see bandages slowly creeping along her body in the rips and tears of her clothes, covering her entire body except for her eye. "When I'm done here we'll go meet Iffy." I don't waste any time ducking behind a tree as two strands of bandages slip out from Compa's sleeves as she takes an odd stance.

Tension fills the air as Red, holding her hammer high settles down to face Compa, who is remaining perfectly calm. They stare at each other waiting for the other to move, but neither of them are willing to budge. Suddenly Red makes the first move and leaps at Compa, bringing her hammer down hard, but she bounces back harmlessly as Compa holds a glowing above. It's glow intensifies as Red strikes again and again, but to no avail.

"Yaaah! Stupid mummy, Nepgear will be mine! Do you hear me!?" She cried out in rage, jumping and bringing her weapon down with what seemed to be all her strength. The impact from the shock made the area quake, nearly knocking me off my feet, but Compa held her ground. As a matter of fact Compa had stepped to the side and nearly evaded the the strike. She tried to counter Red, but a bandage had gotten snagged under the hammer, and that too had gotten stuck in the ground. It didn't matter as Compa had torn the bandage herself and glared at her opponent, who had ditched her hammer in favor of a pair of yo-yos she left lying around.

"Don't think I'll take you lightly again Ms. Red. I made the mistake of underestimating you by not infusing my bindings. Leave Ge-Ge alone...and I'll let you go." Compa had taken a stance that left her completely open as she looked down and put her hands together. The look on Red's face had gone from pouty to down-right scary as her eyes widen with anger.

"No! She's MY little lamb and I won't have it any other way!" She bolted toward Compa recklessly wielding her yo-yos. I don't think she's noticed the ground shaking toward where she was headed but it was too late. "Gotcha!"

Bandages shot out from ground and snared Red, wrapping themselves around her, emitting same intense glow from earlier. She tried her hardest to struggle and break free from the new bindings, but Compa made sure that she wouldn't break out as easily. "Ngh...Hnngh...You...!" Her face had turned a bright red as she helplessly flopped about demanding that she be released. Compa had begun to sway a bit and looked as if she was going to pass out, the least I could do was stop her from falling.

"I-I've got you Compa!" As I rushed to help her she caught herself and faced to turn me with a smile.

"Now that's...Waku...magic..." She leaned over to catch her breath and put her hand up to stop me from getting closer. "Now let's go...and meet Iffy and Uni." I looked up to see Uni had vanished along with the rope that held her up there. When did IF-

"Come on Ge-Ge, those bindings are strong but they won't last forever." She slowly led the way as we left Red alone...but after the way she treated me and Uni...it's really hard to feel sorry for her.

"Don't worry my lamb! I'll find you...and when I do, you'll be all mine!~"


	8. Food For Thought

_Time to start spacing these updates out a little bit due to writing some other ideas that are being around the group of friends I chat with. Don't feel too bad for Red, she'll be ok. As much as I try to set some things in stone, my urge to go off the beaten path rises and I end up doing something else and it's often for the better. For now, enjoy a nice calm chapter that sheds a little light on the importance of Monster Cuisine._

* * *

Compa and I had finally gotten out of the depths of the forest and started looking for IF and Uni. I can't thank them enough for saving us from...Red...ugh, just thinking about her makes my skin crawl. I shake the thought from my mind and try to focus on other things, like tending to Compa. "You don't look so-" I cut myself short as I realize that would be a really insensitive thing to say considering she's always looked like this. My eyes water just looking at the small openings in her clothes...

"What's wrong Ge-Ge?"

"Hm? N-no I was just-"

"Don't worry about me, I just need to wait for Iffy to come back before we can leave." She sat down next to a nearby tree and breathed a sigh of relief, and motioned for me to sit next to her. "You're hiding something from us Ge-Ge." My body tensed as I sat down, her voice taking a serious tone suddenly. I want to tell her everything, but I'm afraid of what would happen if they found out I'm not the monster girl they think I am.

"I'm not going to pry though. When you're ready to talk to us, your sister, or Uni...we'll be here for you." I let out a sigh of relief as I reach over to hug Compa, relieved that hear that she truly is herself. I should figure out what it takes to be a monster like this, I might be like this for a while.

She carefully hugged me back and comforted me...until one of my fingers got caught in one of her rips and grazed her skin. "Ge-Ge no!~" She pushed me back in surprise and began shivering as she held herself. I tried to get closer to help her, but she shook her head and scooted away a little. "H-have you f-forgotten h-how sensitive my skin is t-to others, especially after using my Waku?" She struggled as she stood up to take several steps away from me to lean on a nearby tree.

"Goodness Compa, I'm sorry! What do I do now?"

"You stop right where you are, Nepgear." I froze in place as I heard a very stern voice come from behind me. "What did you do to my Compa?" I turned to see an angry looking IF standing before me with folded arms, with a frightened Uni standing behind her.

"I...touched her...a little?" I don't think I worded that all too well as IF's tail flickered about in my direction as she stormed passed me.

She carefully picked Compa up and joined hands with her, ignoring her pleas and cries for her to stop. "There there Compa, I've got you now..." The pair began hovering just barely off the ground as Compa grew silent. I silently watch with Uni as IF began to glow with a strange aura that seemed to flow into Compa. As this happened her clothes began to move about as bandages started forming and replacing the ones she lost from her earlier attack. The glow faded as they gently landed back on the ground...it was as if they performed something...special and we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of this.

"Nepgear. Uni. Front and center." IF had turned directly back at us with a mixed look on her face, snapping me out of my awestruck state. Uni limped beside me and stood at attention as IF came at us, looking a little calmer than before. "You both did a good job on clearing out the Dogoo Pack. That much I can say I'm proud of, however..." She paused as she traded looks between us. "...you both went into the depths. I'm aware that you may have had a good reason to, but that leads into the next issue. You nearly got captured by that maniac, even though a certain were-sheep could've knocked her out and..." She looked directly at me with a piercing gaze. "...you touched my Compa."

She's really serious about me accidentally touching her, but how was I supposed to know any better... "But IF-"

"'But' nothing. Your punishment begins now. You'll be carrying Uni on your back because she's just been grounded." I had second thoughts about protesting that, but after thinking about had I not lost control before we probably wouldn't have gotten in that mess. "That and she's still recovering from the paralytic rope she was tied up in. This is why you avoid that woman at all costs, no telling how far she'll go to get what she wants. Got that?"

"Mhm."

She smiled as I answered quietly and backed up to get Uni on my back. "Good good, now let's get back home before night falls." She and Compa go on ahead, slowing down occasionally to wait for me to catch up.

"Hey Uni...are you doing any better?" She moves around a bit before resting her head on shoulders.

"Of course...it'll take more than parapuh...para...rope to stop me..." Her voice trailed off as she buried her face in my hair, mumbling to herself as I secured my grip on her legs. I couldn't help but grin slyly as she squirmed and begged me to stop. "G-Gear please! M-my legs are feel funny...s-stupid..." Despite saying that her arms wrapped tighter around me...I wonder how far I can go before she seriously wants me to stop. I felt a smile creep along my face as I gave her legs a little squeeze.

"Geea-!" I wiped a playful smile off my smile as Uni's squeal drew the attention of the pair ahead of us. IF seemed to have cooled off a lot by now and just shrugged, but Compa smiled and gave me a little wink...it's almost as if I can't hide anything from her. They turn their attention back forward, leaving me to deal with a distraught Uni. "S-stop ruffling my feathers Gear, this isn't fair!" Her grip tightened even more, her voice quivering trying to hide her enjoyment.

"I can't help it...I just..."

"Hm?"

"...I just want you to know that I won't let anything like this ever happen again." I could feel her heart beating furiously through her chest as I continued making my promise to her. "I'll do everything I can to keep you safe."

Warm tears started running down my shoulder as Uni started sobbing quietly. Before I could ask her why she was crying, she shushed me and began whispering into my ear. "Why are you saying these things to me Gear?"

"Because you're my special friend as well, and I refuse to let anything bad happen to you again." She didn't say anything else and just rested on my back as we marched on, but there was one more thing I needed to take care of.

"Um...Uni? It's getting hard to breathe, can you let up a little?"

"Hmph! This is part of your punishment so you'll have to deal with it. A-and there's more in store for you too..." We giggled as I readjusted her...I'm going to keep my promise to Uni, and I'll find out what happened to me earlier. I'm going to try my hardest to become stronger...for Uni...for everyone.

"You stupid...stupid...gi..." She fell asleep trying to keep up her cute act...I guess I'll have to ask IF or Compa.

"Um, IF?" I try to get her attention as I slowly catch up with them. She turns her head slightly and waits for me to go on. "You mentioned something about knocking that cra-um, Red out. What if I said I forgot how to do that?" I don't mean to lie about forgetting something like this, but hopefully IF will explain it to me a little, she's always in a good mood when Compa is with her.

"I can't say that this is the first time you've forgotten something important like this. Although you may be growing out of that, this is the longest you've been out with us."So I used to be forgetful and I hardly went out with people? I don't remember being like that at all so this may be the monster in me, but I really didn't want to leave the bed today and that nap earlier was one of the best I've ever had. "Anyway, we all have unique abilities and yours mainly involves your wool, which is also where most of your magic comes from by the way. It contains mainly sleep magic, and if used properly can put almost anything you want to sleep. Well, that depends on how weak they are, you'll have to exert more power to put tougher things to sleep but you shouldn't get that close if they're that strong to begin with."

So I could've saved Uni after all had I stopped Red myself. I sigh as I take a mental note of that, but there's no point in regretting what's already happened. "Um, what if I don't have enough power? Even though I barely remember what happened afterwards, my stomach was aching horribly and then I apparently...ate some Dogoos according to Uni." I tried not to sound too disgusted about that but...it did leave a nice fruity taste in my mouth.

"Sounds like you Starved yourself. Of course you ate Dogoos, we thrive on lesser monsters like them. We can get away with eating almost any other lesser creature, but the slime family especially is chock-full of energy and are almost found in all environments. That and there's hardly any mess to clean up." Uni's snoring and shifting about drew IF's attention as she finished explaining the importance of eating like...monster. "Oh, in case you forgot this as well there's more to us than meets the eye. It's up to you find out what else you're capable of, you won't learn otherwise if I tell you everything."

"Where would the fun in that be?" Compa interrupted cheerfully, flustering IF again as they went back to whispering amongst themselves. Planeptune was slowly coming into view as the sun almost fully set...with Uni sleeping peacefully on my back.


	9. A Rookie's Assignment

_I'm really glad I've decided to make this my long term project. While it's fun to make a short little story here or there, regardless of what happens in it, I've been wanting to do something with more consistency because well, I really like HDN. To be honest I've just been going along and seeing how the story would develop itself because setting everything in stone is no fun. Although I've finally decided on some things that will definitely happen, I won't sweat it until said things are about to happen. To think I started this on a whim... It feels like I've said that before, but anyway:_

_ mega-dark: Direct contact with Compa's skin is a huge NO if you're not IF. Regarding Nepgear's wool, while it's magically charged, is totally safe to the touch. She can stand to lose a little wool though, wouldn't want to get slowed down by all the fluff. Too much shearing only increases the chances of...oops.  
_

_ Some Random Tosser: Here's hoping you enjoy the journey to the answer.  
_

_ Kuroi-Yasha: I'm doing my best to add in the charm of HDN, but I haven't had the pleasure of actually playing it...yet. Regarding Red, leaving her out would've been a huge injustice, and while I missed out on her, I want her to be remembered more. Forgive me, but Nepgear was the perfect candidate for something like this. You're right about Uni and IF, but she's not that bad unlike a certain someone...  
_

I've never realized it before, but Planeptune gets really quiet when night falls. Businesses were closing and people were saying goodbye to each other as they all returned to their homes. Well, mostly everyone. Only a few couples stayed outside to watch the stars dot the sky as the sun finally left the horizon. "Alright everyone..." IF got our attention as she broke the silence. "...let's head to the Guild and get this report out of the way. The sooner we do the sooner we can rest."

"Nnngh...come back...Gear...I was..." She's so light that had she not said anything I might've forgotten I was carrying her. I really shouldn't keep teasing her, but I can't help myself when the chance is right here in my face.

"What are we going to do Uni?" I ask in a gentle voice in hopes that she'd continue sleep talking.

"What else...stupid..." She shuffled around quite a bit as she finally pulled an arm from around me and reached forward as if pulling something back to her. "...just come back...I wanna..." Her hand drooped as her words muddled together as she went back into a deep sleep.

Without turning around IF spoke to me in a hushed voice. "Stop teasing the poor girl Gear before you regret it."

"Before I regret it?" I was confused as to how I'd be the one to regret giving Uni a little something extra in her dreams.

"Who else? She's probably dreaming all kinds of things and you're only making things worse for yourself in the morning. I guess you'll find out for yourself soon enough." Her voice had a hint of teasing in it as she wrapped her arm around Compa, carefully pulling her closer to herself. That reminds me...

"Hey IF, that Guild said Mrs. to the both of you, does that mean you two..."

Compa decided to chime in this time, answering me cheerfully. "Of course, what else could it mean?" I shouldn't be surprised at this, the last thing I remember regarding the both of them IF claiming Compa as her wife or something like that.

It's nice to see that they're officially together and happy like this...but it makes me wonder if anyone else has done anything similar. A thought crosses my mind but I dismiss it quickly with a laugh and mutter to myself. "Silly Noire..." I shouldn't be like this, it's plain as day that she's crazy about Neptune but she's too afraid to say anything to my sister.

"We're almost there Ge-Ge, just a few more blocks. The report will go by really fast, we just want you to see what the process is and we'll be out in a jiffy." I nodded as a large building came into view with windows that had bright light shining through, where an occasional silhouette could be seen moving about. "Ooh, this is going to be fun, it's nighttime for Guildie." What kind of fun is there to be had about making a report? I think of several ways how that's even possible as we stepped through the double doors.

"Hellooooo and welcome back Mrs. IF, Mrs. Compa, Nepgear, and sleeping Uni. How are you this fine evening?" Ms. Guildie is speaking so much faster than she was earlier today and she's all over the place, what's gotten into her? IF stepped up to the desk to care of the report as Compa and I went to take a seat. Well, I couldn't sit down due to taking care of Uni, so Compa helped herself and sat down as we waited patiently.

"Good evening Guildie, we're finally back from the Dogoo mission. We hit a little snag while the monsters were being cleared out..." She went on to explain what had happened while Ms. Guildie darted back and forth at amazing speeds. In the blink of an eye she went from standing right in front of IF to another edge of the counter, sorting and stamping paperwork and just...working so hard all while barely opening her eyes. I stared at her intently trying to catch her movements but she's just too fast for me to keep up with, all I see when she moves is a yellow blur.

"Trying to keep up with her Ge-Ge?" I only nod and give her a little 'mhm' in response as I try to keep up with Guildie, but it looks like she's showing no signs of slowing down.

"Ugh, I give up Compa, I'm starting to get dizzy trying to keep up with her."

"Don't worry, Guildie is the only woman I've seen with this kind of speed, but it never ceases to surprise me." Her voice was filled with admiration as we watched IF finish her business and come back to us.

"Well, that's taken care of and I've got you and Uni a new mission for tomorrow."

"Goodness we've been through a lot today." I shouldn't be surprised, IF was always serious about anything when it concerned the Guild...and even though we didn't have a choice we did go into the depths.

"Of course, you didn't think lugging Uni around was all I'd make you do, did you? The both of you are going to have to make up for today by taking care of this assignment. It's only a handful of lesser monsters you'll have to take care of near Haneda."

Haneda? I wondered where I heard that before as we waved good-bye to a restless Guildie I tried my best to remember where I've heard that name before. Thankfully the Basilicom wasn't too far off, I think all this walking has finally started getting to me. IF held the door for everyone as we all entered and turned in to our rooms. I was tempted to ask when they moved in here but I was yawning far too much to even begin speaking, and I think it may have started infecting everyone else. Compa and IF managed to say their good nights and headed in the opposite direction to their own rooms.

I trudged back to my own room and suddenly realized...I was still carrying Uni! "Oh goodness, how am I going to-" Another yawn escapes me as fatigue washes over me, making the right decision even more obvious right now. I pull the sheets back and gently tuck Uni into bed, and take one final stretch as I slip in on the other side. It feels so good being able to lie down after a long day like today...just me, my bed and my best friend...I'm sure she won't mind a surprise sleepover tonight. With one last yawn I close my eyes and get ready for some much needed rest...

"G-G-G-G..."

"Ngh...a few more minutes please Neptune..."

"G-G-Gear!?

Hm, that doesn't sound like my sister at all. "Nngh...Uni?" Oh, I remember now, I didn't bother going to the guest room and just brought her straight here because I wanted to go to sleep so badly. I let out a soft groan as I rub my eyes and wake up to a very distraught looking Uni. "What's wrong?" She looks terrified as she lies there stammering uncontrollably...did she not like the idea of sleeping over unexpectedly? I inched forward to touch her head to check if she was feeling well, but she scrambled out of bed in such a panic that she lost a few feathers.

The moment she hit the floor she immediately shot back to her feet, clearing her throat furiously and doing her best to not look directly at me. "Wh-what's wrong indeed! Wh-wh-why am I in your room...i-in your bed no less!?" Her eyes darted all around me as she tried to keep her composure. "Um, you fell asleep and I got really tired so I kind of...tucked you in. You could think of it as a surprise sleep over or something at least, right?" I couldn't help it, once I saw my bed I need had to hit the hay as soon as possible.

She let out a strange high-pitched noise but her mouth was sealed shut. It was if she was screaming internally or something and I'm afraid that if I move too much she might release it. We stared at each other for what felt like hours until someone came knocking at the door. Uni tilted her head towards the door in hopes that it would relieve a little tension. "I'm awake, come on in!"

After a few thumps the door opened to reveal...a very normal looking Histoire. I'm honestly a little disappointed that she seems to be herself, but there's probably more to her just like everyone else I've met so far. Well, she was a little bigger than normal and her wings were much prettier than before. "Good morning girls, I hope I'm not intruding on anything." Uni remained silent as Histoire looked at us, brimming with a little smile as she landed on my knee. "Very well, I had received news from IF that the two of you will be heading north to Haneda for another infestation mission."

We nodded as she continued briefing us on our assignment. "You'll be handling a small horde of Slimes that have occupied a fort near Haneda. You are to clear them out before they migrate into Haneda itself." She lifted off of my knee and slowly made her way to the door, her wings leaving a trail of brilliant sparkles in her wake. "You'll be assigned a pair of special N-Gears and some light supplies. I wish the best of luck to the both of you."

Uni remained silent as we fixed ourselves up and got ready to leave. I really should apologize, I don't know what got into me that made me do those things to her in her sleep. Oh goodness IF was right!


	10. A Royal Pain

_I've suddenly been struck by inspiration. I've said it several times but I haven't given as much as I should to how this will all play it, and then it hit me. Like a truck. Why not do Arcs? It's a great way to flesh out the new world and give characters a spotlight, while Nepgear continues to learn and live in it. The first Arc, which I'll remain quiet about for now, will shed some light on a certain red head. I've said too much about that subject._

_ mega-dark: I wish I did, but little Sheepgear was drawn by a friend of mine in the Nepchat I hang out in. He surprised me as well even though he asked me a few days before what who looked like and such. Regarding the short chapters, I believe it's nice them like that, makes it easier to type for me and easier for good folk like you to read. Although it still takes me a day or so to finish a chapter because of distractions/checking for quality/work.  
_

_I've said too much, enjoy!  
_

* * *

"Uni..."

We left Planeptune early in the morning in order to get an early start on Slime extermination and had made some decent progress. I was still trying to get Uni to speak to me though.

"Uni please..."

I made sure to grab a few extra supplies in case we got sidetracked and had stored them in my N-Gear. Uni had packed her own supplies as well but stayed silent ever since we left.

"Why Nepgear?"

She had finally spoken up with a stern voice and was still doing her best to not look at me. I'm starting to feel really bad about what I've done to her...I don't think I've ever heard be this angry, especially towards me. "I'm sorry Uni, I didn't mean to fool around with you like that. I got a little out of hand and-"

"Don't apologize." She interrupted me as she turned to reveal a smile and shook her head. "I'm not really mad at you Gear...I'm mad at myself for falling asleep so easily. Had I known we would've end up...like that..." She didn't have to finish what she was saying, I think it's clear why she's mad at herself so I won't push it any further. "Wh-whatever, let's just get this taken care of so you can make it up to me."

I smile as I pull out the N-Gear to check the details on this mission again, feeling much better because Uni was talking to me again. "Ok, we're looking for a fort of some kind, and if we actually get into Haneda we've gone too far." This seems easy enough but I won't underestimate them because they're Slimes, I remember Uni saying these things were actually smart. "It's a shame we couldn't fly there..." I try to start a new conversation and that's the best thing that I could come up with?

"Well, we're almost there I bet so there won't be any point in trying." Uni must've noticed that I only said that to get her to talk more so she kept going on. "IF grounded me and I've been meaning to stretch my legs anyway." She giggled as she picked the pace and went ahead of me. "Let's go teach these nasty Slimes a lesson!" She certainly is getting into a better mood, I better speed up so I'm not left behind!

After catching up with Uni and staying at a brisk pace we see a small building come into view. "Hah...good thing we were able to stay on the road, imagine how long it would've taken us had we bumped into something. Let's take a breather before heading inside, ok?" I might have exerted a little too much effort in keeping up with Uni and tired myself out a little.

As we approached the huge double doors the sounds of loud slurping and bouncing could be heard. "I think they heard us Gear, we need to make our downtime quick. If the Dogoo were able to organize themselves, these things will be even more trouble if they get together before we can catch them."

"If that's the case then this is all the break I need. Let's keep going!" I pushed one of the doors open and went inside to be greeted by the backs of several Slimes running away. The area just past the doors was nothing special, it looked as if it was used for training or holding out against an invasion or something. The way things were setup up out here the only way to leave was where we just entered or straight ahead to the entrance of the actual fort where the Slimes were headed. As the final ones headed inside one of them turned around and...stuck it's tongue out us!?

"Sluuuuurp!" The slime jiggled as it waved it's tongue about trying to goad us into recklessly chasing it inside.

Uni was close behind me and saw the Slime in the act. "Why that little!" She took a hasty step forward but stopped herself in time. "Whoa...can't believe that little jerk almost got to me! Come on Gear!" I think she's still mad that we've just been taunted by something so small, but she's right, we can't let them get away.

We cautiously made our way past the next door to find the Slimes had already made their way deeper into the fort. "We're going to have to scare them back into the open Gear, I can't do a thing in here."

She was right...there was no room for her to do anything with these low ceilings and cramped hallways. "Hm...I think we might have to split up and herd them outside or something. Even if they fight back in here, it will probably only be one at a time because of how tiny this space is."

She folded her arms and began walking forward, humming to herself for some reason. "Let's see how many we can round up. I bet I can get most of them outside faster than you." She sped up and approached a corner and winked as she said, "Winner gets to make the loser do anything they want!"

"Uni wait!" She was already gone and left me to wander the halls alone. I should probably go in the opposite direction of her, I'm kind of curious as to what's in this place. Heading to the fork where Uni was, I take a left and head towards a dimly lit room. There's table and a candle that looks like it had just finished burning down in here, along with dust and other old things laying about. Was this place recently abandoned or something?

"Why is this fort so...old and out of date? Planeptune was still the same for the most part and I'm sure Haneda and others area were still...current. Then again this fort was never here before..." I stand around wandering out loud until I hear a little thump and the sound of bouncing. I drop to my knees immediately and look under the table to find a pair of Slimes playing with strange looking ruby.

"Sluurp?!"

They both drop it and starting rolling out of the room making their obnoxious slurping noise. "Maybe they stole this this from someone..." It's much heavier than it looks...I guess I'll store it away in the N-Gear for now.

I scramble to my feet and run after the Slimes, doing my best to keep up with them as they roll to the other side of the room. I've been able to keep up with them for a few turns, but they bounce to a halt and squeeze through some large, light-exposing cracks in the walls. "Hm...wonder if that counts..."

I joke to myself and continue walking down the hall, no point in trying to see if they'll come back in. They're smarter than that I'm sure so it's back to exploring for me. There are rooms on one side of the hallway littered with plenty of ragged looking sleeping bags and broken weapons. "Did the Slimes do this all by themselves or something? They're more vicious than I thought." I take a few steps farther in to see if there is anything I'm missing anything important.

"Slurp?"

I turn and look down to see a Slime staring right up at me with an even goofier smile on its face. "What are you..." My voice trailed off as I realized what it was looking at. "Little p-pervert!" I wind up as hard as I can and kicked it with all my might, sending it bouncing off the walls and out of sight with the sound of a crash. "...Oops." I went to check on the pervert Slime but the only thing nearby out of the ordinary was a freshly made hole in the wall. Rocks were still crumbling from around it to...I may have lost control a little.

"Gear, I don't know what you're doing in there but you better hurry! I've rounded up all the ones I could find and they're getting a little rowdy!" Uni's voice rang out clearly from the hole I've accidentally made.

"Just a second Uni!" I ran down the hallway hugging the side of the wall to find a small set of double doors that led me out into the courtyard where Uni and seven Slimes wait in the center.

"Sluuuuurp!"

A Slime had come from behind me to join the others making the total eight. "I suppose I'll let that count, but that means we'll be even on the score. Guess we'll have to end this in a tie-breaker and-"

"SLURP!" The Slimes interrupted Uni as they piled on each other and started vibrating wildly together and glowing intensely. In a brilliant flash the eight monsters that stood between us were replaced by a single, large looking Slime that wore a crown that was too tiny for it.

"Um...Uni?" I meekly call out to her as I stare at this...royal looking Slime face to face, wondering what it has planned for us. "I think we need to-"

"SLUUUUURPING!"

I barely roll to the side and get out of the way as it lunges forward clumsily. As soon as I recover I run over to Uni who's already gotten ready for a fight. I get into a stance as well and try to think up a plan for this fight...no one said anything about monsters that could combine!

It got up and faced us, poised and ready to charge at us again. Uni remained calm and started hovering as she came up with a plan of her own. "I'm going to need you to make it stay still for a second Gear."

"How the goodness am I supposed to do that?" She had already taken off started circling the courtyard at just about the surrounding walls height, leaving me to fend for myself.

Before Uni got a chance to answer me the King Slime cried out and bounded towards me. I can't back down from this, I made a promise that I would try my best for myself and the sake of everyone! But how...how am I going to stop something this size barreling towards me? Um...let's see...a giant Slime charging at me crown first...crown...that's it! I move a foot back to secure myself as it gets closer. A few more bounds and I reel back far enough it takes my other foot of the ground...and a few more and...

"Haaaa!" I slam my foot down for extra momentum in order to ram my horn into it's crown with the force of my body behind it. I felt myself slide back as the King Slime crashed into my head, making a dull clang ring out from around us. It shuffled forward trying to get the upper hand in this stand-off and it's winning, but I do my best to not give way under it's superior weight. "Nnnngh...no! I'm not going to lose to you!" I put in all the strength I can muster and put my other foot forward and pushed. It isn't budging much but I can't let the best of me!

"Gear! Make it stop without getting in the way yourself! I can't take the shot yet!" I can barely hear her through the ringing in my head as my horn grinds against the crown, gritting my teeth as I try to figure out how to get it to stop moving and get away from it at the same time. The more we clash and move about in the middle the more I realize that it's crown might've gotten stuck in the curl of my horn.

It's starting to go all out and moving forward even more, but if it's really stuck then I think I have a shot at stopping it...I just have to hope this works. "Huu..." I take in a deep breath and place my other foot behind me and let the King Slime gain the upper hand...hopefully it isn't smart enough to catch on.

"Gear, what are you doing!?"

"Hyaaaaaaah!" I grab its sides as best as I can and try to pick it up with help from the force it's exerting. I can feel it leaving the ground a little, I just need to keep...leaning...back...

"SLUURP!?" With the King Slimes help I managed to bring it up and over my head, slamming it backward behind me. The whole maneuver was a little dizzying and I had to recover a little...although I'd rather not be stuck in an awkward position like this...

"Gear I'm ready! Get from under there already!"

I can hear Uni flapping furiously nearby, if she's about to do something big like when Compa did to Red, I need to hurry up and get out of here. I release the unconscious beast and try to roll... "Ngh!" I try to roll from under... "Oh goodness no!" The crown itself is stuck the King Slime as well, this is going to be harder than I thought.

"I can't hold it any longer, I've got to let it rip!"

The air is suddenly filled with the sound of sharp whistles as tiny feathers rain from the sky. In a panic I pull as hard as I can away from the King Slime and rip the crown out of it. I roll away just in time to see feathers land in a circle and dig themselves into the ground for a moment right where I was, along with other feathers she shot away from us, trying not to hurt me. I look up to see Uni spinning around in place as the all the feathers on the ground shake and shoot toward their target. One by one they all pierce the Slime at blazing speeds, taking out little chunks as each one passes through. The feather circle that surrounded it glowed and they all simultaneously shot through the Slime...and again and again until Uni stopped spinning. They all shot into into the Slime one last time and stuck, and then it just...deflated and dissolved...leaving behind a couple of leaves and...a chest?

"Goodness, my head is still ringing a little. How are you holding up?" I stood up to investigate the mess that Uni made as she landed next to me. So far I count two large leaves, another smaller, stranger shaped leaf, and a tiny chest covered in blue goop. As I reach down to actually see what kind of leaves these are I hear Uni doing her best hide her smirking. "What's so funny?"

She cleared her throat and pointed at my head while trying to keep a straight face. I reached up and sure enough the crown was lodged in my horn, not moving at all as I try to shake it free. "Mind helping me out Uni?" I bent over in hopes that she'd lend me a hand.

"S-sure, but don't expect me to always be here when you ram your head into things next time." She got a good grip on the crown and gave it a good heave without any warning!

"Ow, Uni!"

"Sorry Gear, it's just...so...hard to pull out! I thought a good yank would've been enough." She was pulling hard enough to pull me forward a little, but it wasn't enough. I had to brace myself as she put a foot on my shoulder and started pulling again. "D-don't you dare look up either..." She's being really rough with all this pulling, I don't think she needs to be this aggressive with a little thing like this.

"Don't do what?" I couldn't hear her over all the straining we were doing. I looked up as a popping noise went off, throwing us back from each other. As I flew back I caught a glimpse of someone watching from on top of the walls. We land on our backsides as the crown falls with a thud between us, and I get a good look at back up on the wall to see the last person I was expecting to find us here...

"Good afternoon Nepgear. Did my little lamb miss me?"


	11. Such a Good Girl

_I think it's time to start spacing out the updates a little more. There may be some changes for me in the near future and I don't want to ruin my the speed at which I get these out. I can only hope that things actually do pick up, because that would mean more Neptune and other things for me, which means I might even be able to pick up drawing again. I may not be as good as the guy who drew SheepGear, I'll hopefully find my own style of drawing. But enough about hopes and such._

_Str1k3N01r - Yep, I'm the Blancbro from-wait, you've read those? I'm glad you liked those, I might end up editing those for the sake of better reading. Or I may continue the Tea series or start posting the more family friendly Noire stories. Oops, getting carried away, thanks for reading and I hope you keep enjoying these.  
_

_mega-dark - Twin Puru?! My shock aside the drawfriend made that on a whim, but he did hint at maybe making more when he had the time. I'm dying to see how these will come out...maybe I should share the ideas with the rest of the guys and see how they'd take a crack at it? Back at the chapter you may be surprised at how things unfold.  
_

* * *

"Red!"

"I'm flattered you remembered me!"

How in the world did she find us here? Even though I feel fine I don't think Uni is in any condition to escape or fight after pulling off a big attack on that King Slime. As much as I don't want to I'm going to have to try and talk to convince her to leave us alone...anything that will stop her from getting any closer! I motion for Uni to leave while I take try to take care of this problem...by myself this time. "Why are you still chasing us? Didn't you learn your lesson last time?"

"Not at all!" She said boastfully, throwing her hands on her hips and laughing proudly as the gold dragon wrapped around her seemed to bounce along with her. She started talking again as she stopped laughing and pointing at me. "Just make this easier on yourself and give up. If you're a good girl I'll let your little feathered friend join us."

I clenched my fists as I stood up to properly face her, trying to stay calm and not letting her words get to me. She's just saying these things on purpose to get to me...wait, what if she really is crazy? "Seriously Red, why are you after me specifically? If you want my wool I can just-"

"Nonononono! L-let's not get ahead of ourselves now!" She frantically waved her hands about in my direction as she protested the idea of a quick shear. So it really is me and not my wool she wants...but why? "D-don't joke like that my little lamb, I like you just the way you are!"

"Why? We've never even met before outside of Virtua Forest! ...Or the guild according to you, but I don't remember that at all." That trip to the guild is pretty fuzzy in my memory now that I think about it...all we did was go in and we were out shortly afterward. Hm, I don't think she'd be willing to explain herself without some crazy bargain though, so asking her what she did to me would be a waste.

"The heart wants what the heart wants, my lamb. Now sit tight and wait for me while I find a way down..." She nervously looked around the edges and had second thoughts about jumping.

I don't have time to sit here and wait...do I try to deal with Red outside, in these cramped halls, or go with Uni and flee? As I thought about which choice would be for the best Uni peeked around the corner and called for me.

"Come on Gear, let's just lose her in the fort and get out of here!"

I nodded and moved toward her but I was stopped by a high-pitched yelp and turned to see Red teetering on the edge of the wall. I'm surprised she hasn't made the leap yet, I almost want to wonder what's taking her so long...

"W-w-wait for me Nepgear!" She was being very cautious about deciding whether or not to make the jump or try to go the long way. "P-please wait..." She looked terrified as she pulled out a yo-yo and anchored it to the top of the wall and slowly let herself down.

"Gear, stop watching her and let's get out of here already!"

"N-no... Just give me a few mo-aaaah!" I watched in horror as Red's yo-yo line, sending her flying down the the rest of the way. It wasn't necessarily a long fall by any means but putting her height into consideration she may have gotten hurt. She managed to catch herself and landed on all fours and had started to shake a little. I...don't know why but I want to make sure she isn't too terribly injured though...

"Don't you dare..." I looked at Uni and she was shaking her head, waiting for me to go with her to leave Red all by herself...but something holds me back and I slowly start heading over to check on her. When Compa handled her she only put her in restraints and the area was mostly clear because of all the noise that they caused. What if the people that were here before the Slimes came back and found her injured? I don't think they're good people, not if they had this jewel and had this place loaded with weapons...I can't imagine any good from hiding out in a nameless fort.

"Red, are you alright?" I knelt down to get a closer look at her, and I saw a small trickle of tears dripping from her face. "Are you...crying?" She weakly shook her head as she tried to hide her sniffling, and then sat up and hid her hands under her arms. This is almost how Neptune acted whenever she hurt herself, she refused to show me her injuries unless I was a little firm and comforted her...a lot.

Her knees looked really banged up and her face was red as she tried to hold back her tears. I don't know what I can do about this actually, I could just try to use the Nep-Bull I packed away, but I don't think a drink will help much at a time like this. As we sat there I suddenly got an idea, and I went to see if I could do anything with those leaves that were left behind.

"Hm...three sets of leaves, two long slender pieces and a...short wider looking one. I think it would be best to try out the bigger ones first. Red, be a good girl now and sit still." I don't think I needed to tell her that, she hasn't budged after propping herself up. Taking one of the bigger leaves I reach for her leg, but she painfully pulls it away from me just barely.

"Don't do this Red, we have to see if this will help you out or not. You don't want an infection or anything like that, right?" She winces in pain as I snatch her leg and forcefully press the leaf on her knee.

"Aaah! Wh-why are being so mean to me? It stings!"

"That must mean it's working, so sit still so I can patch you up." So these are medicinal leaves after all...I guessed right. She's not going to like what I have in store for her next, but she'll have to deal with it. "Brace yourself..." I pressed down a little harder and slowly began rubbing her knee, making her writhe in pain a little.

"S-stop it please! Haah...haaah..." Her breathing got louder and more labored as she did her best to not cry as she begged me to stop. Red may have been a little too overzealous and a little...persistent, but deep down she's just a normal girl like I...like I used to be.

"Now for the other knee, and don't pull away this time." She obeyed and even did her best to move her leg towards me, but she still flinched as I applied the leaf and kept her whimpers to a minimum. As I rubbed it in I could feel the leaf getting smaller and smaller until it was completely gone...along with the scrapes on her knees.

She breathed a sigh of relief as I pulled away for a moment so she could show me her hands, and they looked even worse than what had happened to her knees. They look horrible and they're bleeding a little...she needs immediate attention and I'm not sure if this last leaf will be enough if I use the same technique. I grab the other leaf and gently place it in her hand, and place her other hand on top of that and press them together.

She couldn't hold back her tears anymore and let them flow as I slowly, but firmly, rubbed them together in hopes that the leaf would take effect and heal both of her hands at once. Each time she tried to pull her hands away I would close them back together, smile, and shake my head as I reapply the pressure on the leaf in between her hands.

"Th-tha-"

"Shh...we're almost done now."

After a few more rubs I let her pull her hands away and the last healing leaf had been absorbed. Red got a good look at her hands and saw that they had been fully healed, and immediately pounced on me nearly knocking me to the ground.

"Gear! Don't worry I-"

"It's ok Uni, I think I'll be fine this time."

Red couldn't keep herself off of me and was squeezing me tightly, nuzzling me while thanking me constantly. "Oooh thank you thank thank thank my la-er...Nepgear! Thank you so much!" I had to draw a line as she puckered up and tried to plant a kiss on my cheek.

"R-Red slow down, all I did was tend to your wounds. Please calm down!" She actually listened to me for once and backed off of me immediately, resting on her newly healed knees and eagerly looking at me with a smile as if waiting for me to say something else. I guess now would probably be the best time to get a serious answer from her. "Hey Red, why are chasing me?"

Her smile faded a little as she reluctantly answered while poking her fingers together. "I...don't have many friends..." She sighed and looked down. "I don't have any friends actually. Whenever I see someone I want to be friends I get a little carried away I think. That's why when you actually spoke to me at the Guild, I got a little too excited and tried my best to charm you right there on the spot. Monsters usually fall for it, but it isn't the same as having someone who can talk to me. I'm glad...Uni was it? I'm glad Uni was there to watch your back, forcing you to be my friend wouldn't have been for the best in the long run."

"Forcing people to be your friend? Ugh, you're worse than my sister..."

"Uni!"

"Sorry...I'm just saying, if you weren't so crazy you'd have a friend is all..."

I throw a little glare in her direction, trying to get her to stop being mean. I understand how she feels but we really shouldn't let someone make us want to treat them badly. Especially when they don't intend to be bad in the first place. Red isn't even all that bad if she's being honest right now...not that she has any reason to lie. I bet this is how Underling came to be an...underling to Magic.

"Anyway, we should probably get out of here Gear, we've done what we needed to do."

Uni has a point, we should report this as soon as possible. There's no telling what kind of trouble we'd be in with IF if we took our time with this or got sidetracked more than we already have.

"Do you want to come with us Red?" I stand up and reach out for her, waiting for her to answer. She grabs my hand and pauses for a moment before she smiles and shakes her head.

"As much as I want to I think I'll sit here and...think about what I've done. It wouldn't be right for me to just jump at the chance to stalk-er, follow you around. See? Right now I'm doing my best to not pounce on you again...you're one of the few people who've been nice to me." She releases my hand and stared at the sky as the clouds slowly drifted by. "I'll...see you some other time..."

Uni put a hand on my shoulder and we started leaving but I didn't want to just leave her here. I look back at Red and she waved goodbye with a smile. "Don't worry about me, I'll leave in a bit. Clearing my head might actually do me some good."

I simply nod and follow Uni through the inner workings of the fort and left Red to her thoughts.

"You're a much better person than me, Gear. I probably wouldn't have helped her...as much. I guess this why I l...why we're friends. You're a good person. Now let's get back to Planeptune, those Slimes thought they could hide this emerald from me. I have plans for this pretty green rock." She pulled out her N-Gear and brought up a gem that was roughly the same size as mine. As I reached to pull out my own to compare Uni's N-Gear started lighting up and ringing, getting rid of the image and bringing up a familiar logo.

"Nepgear, Uni, this is IF. Are you there?"


	12. Enter Romancia

_Time for another proposition of sorts. Since I'm getting the urge to write and update some other goddess stories, I think I'll update this a little slower. That way I have more time for the extra stories and don't fall behind, considering the stuff going down in the next month for me. I have a hunch that this story is going to be longer than I thought...and I already have an idea as to what some of the V characters will become._

* * *

Whoa! Our N-Gears double as cell phones? That's pretty impressive but I shouldn't be surprised considering IF is involved, and she seems like someone with a lot of influence with all the Guild work she does. This is probably one of the many lines she has that helps her get the job done as quick as possible.

"Nepgear! Uni! Someone answer the call already!"

Uni fiddled about with the touch screen and got the ringing to stop, making IF's voice come in loud and clear when she answered the call. "We're here IF. The Slimes have been exterminated and we're on the way back."

"Ah, it's about time. I assume everything went smoothly?"

I entered the conversation and finished explaining things for the both of us as we walk through and exit. I don't think we need to mention another encounter with Red even though nothing happened. "Well, the Slimes did something weird and turned into a giant...King or something, but we took care of that. We also found a pair of huge gems but they don't seem to be anything special outside of being well, huge, for lack of a better word."

"A King Slime? I assume it was blue, but a congratulations are in order...later. I need the both of you to head to Haneda and pick up some things. It'll make traveling back here a breeze and you'll save yourselves a a lot of time. Call back when you get there."

I didn't get a chance to ask her what we were going to pick up before she ended the call, but it shouldn't take too long to reach Haneda since we're already out of the fort.

"Ok Gear, according to this all we need to do is head north for a little while and we'll be set." Uni seems to be able to navigate the N-Gear just fine as she pushes the digital buttons and pulls up a small map detailing the area.

I pulled mine out and clumsily messed around the with options until I pull up a map as well. This isn't the N-Gear I'm used to, there are so many categories and things to go through, but I finally manage to pull up a map. "Goodness, I don't even recognize some of these places."

Parts of Gamindustri are so much bigger from what I'm used to, although the Planeptune area looks about the same with the exception of this unmarked fort. The canyon and forest near Haneda and the lake surrounding Lan Castle, all have orange dots near them...if I remember correctly that meant that those areas, while dangerous, could be explored.

I look up from the N-Gear and see a small city coming into view as Uni puts hers away, and I put mine away as she suddenly spoke up. This didn't take as long as I thought it would.

"Do you think we've done a good enough job to make up for our first mission yet?"

"Of course." The thought of an impatient Uni gets me smiling and I smirk a little. "You're really anxious to fly again, aren't you?"

She nodded and let out a sigh. "Yeah, but all this walking isn't so bad. I get to give my wings a rest after all and I don't have to haul you around. N-not that you're heavy or anything, I-I just don't want to always carry you around without you returning the favor or..." Her voice trailed off immediately when she turned away from me as she tried to stop herself from saying something embarrassing.

I giggled even more as she got herself flustered as we entered Haneda. Everyone nearby was going about their business so quietly that it seemed like if someone made too loud of a noise they'd get in trouble or something. The first couple of people I spoke to refused to speak and only shook their heads as they ran off.

"Hey Uni," I whispered. "do you have any idea what's going on? Why is everyone acting so scared?"

Before she could answer the sound of rowdy laughter could be heard heading toward us. These men sound like they could be trouble...

"Psst, over here!" A woman's voice whispers to us followed by a hand signaling us to come their way around a corner. Uni and I silently but cautiously head over to her...if they're willing to explain what's going on that would be great. I doubt they would try to start up trouble, they sound nothing like the loud men that are almost here. Their laughter fills the air as the sounds objects breaking get closer and closer.

When we got near her a pair of hands snatched us forward, covering our mouths and pulling us around the corner, holding us close to her body. "Don't panic...wait for them to finish their business..." It was hard not to panic when someone catches you off guard like this, but I think this person really wants to help us but their hand...no, their whole body felt so cold as she held us tightly.

"Gwaaahahaha!" A gravelly laugh boomed from the small plaza Uni and I was just standing in as the sounds of the other men went quiet. "What's the matter? Without your precious 'adventuress' you people are spineless! Don't count on her saving your hides...ever again." The woman holding us tensed up as the loud voice broke into laughter again as more rugged voices started joining.

After a few more crashes and screams from the citizens, the man who sounded like the leader started speaking once again. "We'll be back same time next week you chumps! This haul was weak, and if you don't want to end up like your mercenary you'll work twice as hard to give us the good stuff!"

The loud mob of men started stomping off, cheering and laughing as they made off with their stolen loot. When the coast was clear we were released and I was able to turn and get a good look at the woman holding us...and she wore very familiar clothes. Her boots matched the rest of her clothes blue and white color scheme, and her leggings reached all the up to her shorts. The shirt she wore exposed a lot of midriff but anything farther up was a mystery. She wore a cloak that hid her shoulders and head completely obscuring her face but...I'm confident that this is Falcom.

"You two almost put yourselves in danger just standing around like that on today of all days."

I wanted to confirm my suspicions and see if she was in fact...Falcom...but she was hiding her identity for a reason so it'd be best if I found out what's going on around here. I don't think this Falcom knows us though, she definitely would've introduced herself by now. "Why are they just letting bandits rampage through the city? Why didn't anyone stand up to them?" I did my best to not let my frustration get the better of me as I asked her what was happening to Haneda though, the last thing I need to do now is lose control when we could be in danger again.

"You heard him...the adventuress that resided here was defeated and they're free to do as they please. There aren't any other adventurers nearby and going to the Guild will only make things worse. Outside help would bring down the wrath of Toughman himself...unless whoever came to help was strong enough to stop all of them." She took a good look at us and leaned back on the wall, as if waiting for one of us to chime in.

Uni folded her arms and turned her nose up to the idea. "Let me guess, you want us to do something about the bandits, right? I don't think Gear and I have the time to-"

"Gear? As in...Matriarch Neptune's little sister, Nepgear?" This woman said that with such excitement that she got off the wall and grabbed my shoulders in disbelief, staring intently at me with her amber eyes. "You're Nepgear!?" Matriarch? Is that suppose to be like the CPU Goddess or something? I silently nod as she brushes her red hair out of her eyes, regaining her composure and backing away from me a little. "Forgive me, it's just...Lady Neptune had entrusted m-...that adventuress with the protection of this region so she could 'fry bigger fish'. But you, Lady Nepgear, you can help these people in their time of need. I don't think I'm suited for this task, but I would be more than willing to help if you if you chose to do so."

"Of course I'm willing to help! I don't know how exactly we'll put a stop to these bandits, but I can't stand by knowing that defenseless people are being treated like this." I hesitate to ask but I have a hunch that she's 'involved with this adventuress', but it doesn't hurt to play along. "What's your name, Miss..."

"Romancia. Just Romancia is fine. I assume your feathered friend is Lady Noire's younger sister, Uni?" She was about to reveal her face, but shook her head and turned to shake Uni's hand.

"That's right, but I'm only helping out because Gear is a kind enough person to make time for you, so don't get the wrong idea or anything." Uni was never any good with letting people know how she felt but I could hear a little excitement in her voice. "What kind of fools are we going to be dealing with anyway?"

Romancia started leading us out of town as she started to explain the situation. "The bandits used to reside in Darxide just south of Haneda, and were quiet for the most part."

"Darxide?" I don't remember going to any place with that name but it sounds like she's talking about that fort we were just at. "You mean that broken down fort?"

"Yes, that's where their hideout used to be until they got scared off by some petty Slimes." Romancia stops just at the entrance of the city and looks down clenching her fists. She mutters something under her breath before setting off again. "Sorry, I'm good to go now. Those bandits were mostly cowards until Toughman appeared, and now they're organized and actively harassing people...mainly Haneda. He's the real threat but he sends his number two out to do all his dirty work. I swear if it wasn't for him I-er, they would've been whipped into shape by now."

We've left the city by now and Uni proposed an idea that could end this quickly. "So can we just take care of the big one? I'm sure the others will give up or whatever when their boss is grovelling at our feet. We need to take care of this as soon as possible before IF has our hides."

She has a point, as long as we're swift about taking Toughman out quickly, this shouldn't take up too much time. If they're really as cowardly as Romancia says, they'll scatter and not want to bother anyone again. Hopefully IF will understand that we can't just let something like this go unattended. Romancia pointed northwest and picked up the pace a little with us in tow.

We quickly followed and did our best to make small talk with her, but she didn't say much about herself outside of putting herself down constantly. It was a little depressing to see her say such things about herself like this...even if she lost that's no reason to carry on like this. I don't know the details behind all of this and I won't have her moping around any longer. I'll have Fal-er, Romancia smiling and back to her old self in no time!

After a short while we finally reached the bandits new hideout, the canyons that sat to the northwest of of the continent. "Lady Nepgear, Lady Uni...this is Kolibri Canyon. The search for Toughman begins..."


	13. Toughman Cometh

_I really shouldn't be doing editing this late at night, I'm sure I'll miss something. Anyway, I decided to go ahead and get this one up because I just got done cooking up a little Noire story that I can say I like myself. I hardly ever like my own stuff that much and that says a lot. I enjoy Mon Nepu of course, but I'm usually doing my best to not delete things I write or draw. I might put it here eventually because then maybe I'll get some constructive criticism, as opposed to one post saying "go on", which is nice and all but tells me nothing. I'll probably add more to it but I don't think I'll be able to post it here, since it has a high chance of escalating into..."fun territory"._

* * *

The wind howled as it blew past us as we stood in the entrance of Kolibri Canyon. I had to cover my eyes as small dirt clouds swirled around us as I took in the view, which would've been a sight to see if we weren't here to fight...humans. I don't like the idea of fighting normal people but if we can get away with only having to deal with one person, then I suppose I'd be able to do it as long as we don't hurt them too much.

"Thank you Lady Nepgear, Lady Uni." Romancia stepped forward as she held her cloak tightly. "I...don't believe I could have done this without your help..." She sounded so sad as her footsteps echoed lightly off the walls.

"Romancia..." I shouldn't try to force the truth out of her but holding everything in like this isn't going to do her any good. "...please tell us what happened. I don't want to invade your privacy or anything but I feel we really need to know who we're helping out." Uni and I started following her, waiting for an answer. Getting her to tell us the truth is more for her than us and I hope she doesn't get mad at me. I know who she really is though, but I know what the difference between this Falcom and mine.

"I suppose I do owe you the truth." She said as we took a turn and walked up a nearby slope. "Romancia is only my family name and I've brought shame to it by...losing." Her head hung low we continued our trek up the spiraling canyon wall. "My name is Falcom, and I was the adventuress those bandits mentioned. I was caught in an ambush led by Toughman himself a while ago was caught completely off my guard. His laughter...the pain...I still remember..."

"Oh goodness! Sorry, I didn't mean for you to bring up a terrible memory!" I tried to apologize to her as hard as I could but she held her hand up and shook her head.

"It's fine, I'm over the physical pain anyway. Oh, and call me Falcom, no point in hiding that from you two any longer." I've made things worse they were before! I think I'll just keep quiet until she feels like speaking again...

After walking for a little while the spiraling path stops abruptly, forcing us to take a right into what looks like a man-made path. The walls shot straight up and curved down a little like claws...I don't think Uni will even be able glide through here safely. It's spacious enough for two people to walk through but I've got a bad feeling about this...

"The both of you wait here..." Falcom recklessly stepped forward, moving side to side as if...as if...no!

"Falcom, what in goodness name has gotten into you!?" My gut tells me to sprint forward to try and stop her from setting off a trap when a loud swish sounded off at the end of the path. I don't have time to tell her to get out of the way or move her to safety, so without thinking I jump in front of her and hold her tightly in hopes of defending her from whatever fired at us.

"Lady Nepgear, what are you doing!?" She asked in a panic as she struggled to break free from me but I kept my hold on her as the sound of something flying through the air stops instantly.

"No-o-o-o-o!" I cried out in panic as something burrows through my wool and poke my back. I tense up, keeping my eyes shut, and get ready to endure the piercing pain of it all...but it never comes. I can't bring myself to let go or relax until it's over.

"Gear!"

"Stay back Lady Uni! Let me back up and get her out of here." Falcom took careful steps backward as she dragged me out of the trap filled pathway. A few steps and she stopped to let me know it was safe to let go. "We're ok now."

I opened my eyes and looked up to see Falcom's face smiling down on me...she looked a little older than what I remember, but this is definitely her. I release my hold on her and backed up a little. "Wh-what happened?" I looked over to Uni and she was looking away trying to hide her face, but I could tell she was trying to hold back a smile as well. "Uni, what's wrong with me?"

"I'm sorry Gear, but the way you screamed just now...kh..." What's so funny about being in danger like this!? I'm so lost!

I struggled to reach for whatever got stuck in my back but it was all in vain as I spun around with it being just out of reach. My fingers graze something thin and I...I can't quite reach it. "Hnngh, F-Falcom?" I turned to her for help instead but she was busy covering her face as well...smirking and turning away from me slightly.

She clears her throat and wipes the smile off her face. "Sorry. I'll help you right away, I shouldn't be laughing at a time like this." I stopped turning in place to give her a chance to help me out. "Alright, I'm going to need you to brace yourself, I'll give you a few yanks." She put a hand on my shoulder and tried to pull the object out of my back. "It's in there pretty tight. Could you relax a little Lady Nepgear?"

"I'll try..." It was going to be hard to relax with Uni giggling next to us. I'll have to do my best to ignore her for now. I take in a few deep breaths and try tune to her out...I close my eyes and focus on listening to the whistle of the wind blowing through the canyon walls.

"Oh!" Falcom let out a surprised cry as something hit the ground behind me. "Looks like an arrow got stuck in your wool." I touched my wool and it seemed less fluffy than usual. Did I somehow manage to-

"An arrow!?" Uni's giggling stopped instantly as she heard that and she nearly jumped to us, hurriedly checking me all over to see if anything else was wrong with me. "Oh Gear, I didn't know! I'm so sorry, if I had known I wouldn't have... Are you hurt?"

I was speechless. That arrow had come dangerously close to actually...hurting me...but I couldn't let Falcom get hurt no matter how careless she got. I know she isn't in the best of moods but she shouldn't let herself get carried away like this.

"Lady Nepgear, snap out of it!"

"Hm? Oh goodness, sorry!" I think I spaced out a little as I thought about telling her she should be the one to snap out of it. "Why were you going so fast down there Falcom? You could've been hurt!"

Without hesitation she stepped back in the path and actively started trying to trigger traps, stomping around until another whooshing sound went off. Her cloak flapped in the wind as she spun around and turned to face me and Uni with...an arrow in her hand! "I failed to mention that I had everything under control. This is one of the most basic arrows I've seen, and the arrows themselves are poorly made. You didn't need to shield me..." She snapped the arrow in half, tossing it aside and continuing down the dangerous path.

Uni and I followed Falcom at a safe distance, crouching and watching out for arrows she might miss. I can see small holes in the wall as we get closer, and she starts reaching for something hidden on her back under her cloak. In a blur she brings out a case and takes a full swing at it, smashing the wall and disabling the traps making it safer for us. She's done a good job hiding that away from everyone, I'm surprised I didn't notice it before. She sighed and pulled her case out of the wall and waited for us to catch up.

I don't know if it's the monster in me, but seeing her act so down in the dumps makes me...a little upset. "Maybe you should be the one to snap out of it..."

"What?" Falcom stopped dead in her tracks and looked at me with narrow eyes. "What did you say?"

"I said you're the one who needs to snap out of it. So what if you lost? E-even the score or something, I don't know! It's not the end of the world!" It felt like my heart was ready to burst through my chest, but I kept going on. "You need to...to get over it already!" I probably had no right to say any of that, but if she doesn't open up a little how are we going to help?

Uni stepped behind me as Falcom stormed over to me, pulling a longsword out of her case and stabbing it into the dirt by my feet. I stood my ground as she threw off her cloak revealing a teary-eyed face. Her ponytail waved in the wind as she pulled down her collar to reveal runes coiling around her neck. "Do you see this mark? This is proof that I've failed the Romancia name...I'm probably not even welcome back home now because of this thing!"

I got an odd feeling from just looking at her neck but I didn't back down, not with her finally opening up. "I don't know what that's supposed to mean, it just looks like a mark on your neck. That shouldn't stop people from-"

She shook her head as even more tears streamed down her face. "It's a mark for sure and it means I might as well not be part of the family anymore. The Romancias have prided themselves on being one of the best winning all their fights no matter what. No one has lost in generations...until I...happened..." She pulled her collar back up and turned away from me. "Let's get back on track, maybe settling the score well get rid of this...thing on my neck." She wiped her tears away and packed her things back up...I was afraid she'd do something a little drastic, but I have to snap her out of this rut she's in.

We all silently trudge down the path laid out to the left of the smashed arrow trap until we reach a wide semi-circular area, a cave on the other side and cliff off to the side. I'm sure it would've looked liked a crescent moon from Uni's point of view.

"WHO THE HELL IS BREAKIN' MY TOYS?!"

A bunch of bandits came out of the cave and stood on both sides as a thunderous voice booms from within. The ground starts to shake as the footsteps seemed to be getting louder and the bandits started cheering as a large, red foot emerged from the cave.

Falcom drew her sword and dropped her case and took a stance. "Lady Nepgear, Lady Uni, this is it.

* * *

_Aha, a note at the end! I figured here would be a nice place to add a little tidbit about things that happened or will happen. Like shedding a little light on Falcom's situation, but only a little. I decided that there should be a little more to Falcom, so I've decided that this world's Falcom would be all about her family and doing what she can to get their name everywhere, because what could beat getting paid well AND making people praise your name? There will be more of her in store as we find out where the rest of her family is and they're like...maybe._


	14. A Rat in the Woodworks

_Looks like I'll be able to get this out at my regular time, awesome. I hope you're all enjoying what I guess I should call the Falcom arc, I know I am. While everyone may get their fair share of action, Nepgear has a lot to learn still about the this new Gamindustri. You'll be in for a surprise at the end of this chapter I believe, but if you have a good nose for trouble then you may see this coming._

_mega-dark: Actually yeah, I've played Oath, but I haven't been able to do much because my controller is on the fritz, and playing on the keyboard is MURDER. I hope you'll like what's in store for Falcom in the upcoming chapter, and while I try to wrangle in some familiar things, there will be enemies from the entire library of Planeptunes history. These runes will be trouble...  
_

* * *

"YOU'RE ALL DUMBER THAN YOU LOOK!"

With another stomp Toughman had fully emerged from the cave, revealing a very large and wide man. He was...noticeably bigger than the other bandits actually, wearing only a tattered loincloth showing off dark red body. I'd say he almost looks like a small brick house with the way he's standing...

Uni was busy peering into the cave until the he came out and frantically cried out. "Th-that's no human. That's a Golem! How are we supposed to deal with this?"

"I never said Toughman was a normal foe. He's a coward that couldn't even face me head-on!" Falcom kept her gaze locked forward. "You hear me? Face me one on one if you're not as spineless as your cohorts!" Boldly challenging him she a took a step forward.

"COME!"

The other bandits started getting rowdy and came at us like an unruly mob. They wielded all sorts of old looking clubs and axes that looked like they were going to break at any moment. "Tch." Falcom charged forward as well with her sword barely dragging along the ground, taking them all on at once.

"Falcom no!" Before I could even try to stop her she raised her sword and spun with a force so great that it sent dust flying everywhere, forcing Uni and I to cover our eyes a little. The sounds of wood splintering and metal clashing against metal shot through the air, followed by the sound of heavy objects hitting the ground.

I looked up to see several broken weapons and bandits laid about on the floor. Out of the eight that had charged at us, she defeated more than half of them in a single blow.

"LEAVE THE RED HEAD TO ME IDIOTS!"

Toughman lumbered forward as he commanded the remaining bandits to leave Falcom alone. She let them pass and continued stepping forward, sword now pointing at him at an odd angle. "Lady Nepgear, you two should be able to handle those grunts!" She bolted straight at Toughman and engaged him one on one, her sword causing sparks as she got the first blow on his guard.

"Pay attention and get a good luck at your new masters." The first bandit that approached us spoke up, dangling his club carelessly to his side. He nudged the other bandit, whose weapon had been broken and pointed at Uni. "Take the scrawny feathery one."

Uni didn't have to speak for me to know how angry that comment made her. The mostly unarmed bandit walked towards her and leered at me a little, and then charged Uni swinging around his broken weapon recklessly. She took to the air and defended herself with her talons as the both of them fought back towards the broken arrow traps. As they fell the back Uni shouted at me. "You better beat him to pulp Gear!"

"I won't hurt you too badly, sheepie. I'll just sell your wool and..." He rubbed his rugged chin as he looked up thinking of what else...or at least I was hoping he was having trouble thinking of what to say. "Pffffthaaaahaha! I'll make loads of money selling your wool AND your horn!" He hunched over and raised his weapon over his head, getting ready to attack me. I may not have a lot of experience with other weapons but I'm positive this stance would hurt him in the long run.

I feel unusually calm as I bend my knees and put my fists up. I suppose it's because I felt more threatened by Red...and she meant well...sort of. "Awwww look at the little sheepie put up her dukes." I tense a little as he lets out a fit of hoarse laughter and moves forward raising his weapon even higher. "Good. Sit still and make it easy!" As he brought his weapon down I instinctively threw my arms up hoping to block it.

Trust your instincts, Nepgear. Just focus on defending yourself somehow...focus...focus on the club coming straight down on you and stop it somehow! I brace myself as the club comes slamming down on my wrists...leaving me with a dull feeling ringing throughout my arms as it rests there for a moment.

"What the hell? Your hands should busted up by now." He raised his weapon and brought it down again, but I kept my guard up and focused even harder on keeping myself from harm. He attacked again and again but I hardened my defense a little each time, keeping my arms raised to counter him when he slips up. Wood splintered as he struck my wooly bracelets, throwing him off balance. "The hell!?" He backed up a little to inspect the damage he had done to his own weapon, giving me a chance to see what was going on with myself.

"Hm?" I poke the wool on my wrists...or I try to at least. It's lost it's usual fluffiness in favor for a more...tough feeling. I want to say it's almost like steel wool but it isn't budging at all. I wonder what would happen if I hit my wrists together.

-clack- -clack-

When I do it sounds as if I'm banging two rocks together and I can hardly feel a thing myself outside of the weird feeling in my arms from earlier. This is much harder than steel wool, and I even rub them together and they still make weird rocky noises.

"You cheating mongrel!" He slammed his club on the ground, shattering it and pointing his nub of a weapon toward me. "You'll pay for ruining my last club!" He came running at me with his weapon raised again as his eyes widen in rage.

I know I can win this for sure now. As long as I keep my mind clear and focused on protecting everyone I should be able to pull through whatever we're up against! I clasp my hands together tightly and wind up, swinging upwards like a hammer at such an angle and force I lift a little.

My hands smash into his club, shattering it and sending splinters flying everywhere as the bandit stumbles past me. "Yaaah!" I cried out expecting the impact to hurt a lot more than it did and to my surprise it didn't...I still felt the impact though. My hands look a little scarred and scratched but I feel just fine. "Heh...looks like I'm tougher than I used to be..."

"Hey! HEY! You got splinters all over me!" My wonderment was interrupted by the bandit's angry complaining. "I'm done playing around!" He cracked his knuckles and I sidestepped immediately as his feet shuffled toward me and grunted. "What!?"

His punch flies through my hair as I evade it gracefully, tripping him in the process. I'm starting to feel a little more...confident in this whole fighting unarmed thing. I guess all that training with Uni and Noire is finally going to pay off. I don't think this bandit is going to down so easily and I'm only just now recalling that training. Even though this bandit is getting madder and madder I can only think of how I'm not even bothered by this guy anymore. "I wonder how strong the sleep in my wool is..." IF did mention we all had something going for us that wasn't completely obvious...

"Sleep!? You'll be sleeping alright!" As he got back to his feet he flew into an even bigger rage and charged again.

"Falcom was right, you guys aren't all that tough." I stepped forward with and threw a punch hoping with all my might that I might put him to sleep somehow. "Hiyaah!" I stayed completely focused and struck him center in the chest, with faint puff of glittery powder coming out of my bracelet. He didn't seem to notice it as he started having trouble standing up without my arm supporting him.

He flailed about drowsily trying to hit me but he was all over the place and fell face-first as I backed up, snoring loudly and grumbling nonsense. Before I had a chance to celebrate my victory I remembered Uni might have needed help. No, I believe in her, she's probably done by now and on the way back. "Uni, is everything ok back there?" I shout as I fall back to the previous area in hopes of finding finding her, but all that remains is a very scratched up bandit lying on the ground.

"Gear!" I look down the path and see Uni soaring in hot pursuit of another bandit. "Don't worry about me, go help Falcom out!" She didn't wait for an answer and took a dive at the bandit, but she missed and kept up her attack.

I nod even though she wasn't looking and ran back to help Falcom, who was busy laying into Toughman with her weapon. He was barely able to withstand the barrage of attacks and was forced to step back to defend himself. "There!" Falcom did a small somersault forward slashing down, literally disarming him as a bright line flashes across his right shoulder. Loud screeching noises came from him, distorting his voice as sparks violently shot from his shoulder as his arm hit the ground.

"DAMN Y-" An even louder screech rang out, forcing Falcom and I to hold our ears until Toughman hit himself in the chest, cracking it a little. "Agh! Jackass! My freakin' ears!" A completely different voice came from the golem...a feminine voice. "Gaaaah! I can't hear a damn thing! Die already!" It stepped to the side and the sparks on its side intensified and...backfired I think, knocking it down on its side with a crash. "I should've said to hell with my funky feeling and finished you off when I had the chance!"

Falcom and I inched our way toward the pile of rubble as smoke cleared to reveal a young woman rising from the debris. "Ah hell, boss lady isn't gonna like this." She wasted no time in abandoning the golem and ran towards the cliff ledge and turned to taunt us. "You broads shouldn't have interfered!"

She wore a pair of large...red and yellow poofy pants with two noticeable holes, the right one exposing a lot of leg and straps and the left one resembled a pocket, over blue short-shorts. Wait. Pale purple skin, black fingerless gloves, and that symbol she wears on her chest along with...mouse ears? Before I could make sure I wasn't seeing things she turned away, waving her tail and slapping her...behind before jumping off the cliff with a graceful flip.

"No!" Falcom and I cried out as we sprinted over to the cliff expecting the worse, when we were greeted to a huge broken heart shaped parachute.

"So long chumps!"

I shouldn't be surprised she's up to no good, but how did she even get her hands on something like a Golem? "Get back here Underling!"


	15. Homeward Bound

_Well, updates will be slowing down in the next few weeks I believe due to moving woes. It's a long story and it's boring, but I'm sure some of you know pains of having to get a new internet provider, so yeah. That won't slow down my work though...unless the laptop wants to flip out and lose my chapter. All that work and it was reduced back to a few paragraphs. But like a phoenix from its ashes, I think I'm able to recover from this loss and cook up something even better than what was previously written._

_mega-dark: That's the case with some villains I've seen. They can't win in a fair fight so they resort to ambushes, hostages, and other under-handed techniques to get the edge over who stands in their way. But a loss is a loss and poor Falcom is forced to suffer. As for Nepgear, she'll need more than believing in herself for future troubles. And for human Nepgear, or any normal forms of people, there will be a chance for them to appear...  
_

* * *

"Underling!" I watched helplessly as she floated away using what used to be her pants to float away, laughing and insulting us all the way down.

"Loooooooserrrrrrs!" Her voice faded away as she descended into the forest and vanished beneath the treetops. If she's here that could mean Magic was here as well...what if all the CFW were back as well!? No...wait a minute. There's no point in getting worked up over seeing her, she's probably the same as everyone else and I have to find Uni. She's fine I'm sure and I hope she catches whoever she was chasing after. But I'm sure there's no way they could've come back...we made sure...

"...why?"

"Falcom?"

I was headed back down the path until I noticed Falcom looking at her own reflection in her sword. "What more..." She crumpled on all fours before breaking down completely. "...do I have to do!?"

I wanted to approach and comfort her but what could I say? As much as I want to I can't say things will get better when I don't have the slightest idea what's what in this world or how to help her out. I don't even want to think of how things could possibly get worse for her. Maybe I should ask Histoire if she has any information on what's happened to Falcom...for some reason I doubt that though. Oh! I should probably call IF right now and tell her we've been a little sidetracked, hopefully she won't be too mad about us calling late. She shouldn't be too mad at us, we did manage to-"Falcom what the goodness are you doing!?"

She propped herself on her knees and started scratching and clawing at the runes in her neck! "I-I have to get rid of this! I-If I do then I can still-! Ehehe..."

"Falcom stop!" There's no time to think this through! I broke into a sprint and tackled her, pinning her down as soon as possible before she could do something even more drastic. "What in the world do you think you'll accomplish by doing...THIS!?" She's fighting back with all her strength and is slowly winning our struggle. "Stop and think about this for a moment!"

She was facing me but it felt as if she was looking right through me. The normal shine and liveliness she had in her eyes had faded away as she started cackling nonsensically. "Ehehe...if I win...I lose...ahaha...I lose...I lose..." The shock of no change to her body must've taken its toll and driven her mad. "Sisters...I...I..." Her neck! I have to check the damage she had done to her neck but...there isn't any. She was physically fine as far as I could tell but she's under the impression that she has to go to such measures because those runes are still there. I just don't understand it at all!

"Falcom! Please listen to me! You..." Her body shot straight up, knocking me on my back and she went straight for her own throat again. I grabbed her hand and pulled her down to me, I don't have time to get myself up properly to stop her. The only thing I can do is hold her tightly to me and pray that she snaps out of her madness before...no, I told myself I wouldn't let anything bad happen to anyone else and I won't! "Please Falcom...I'm here for you. Please...please stop." I was about to start crying myself when she finally started slowing down.

"Sis...sisters...I've..."

"Shhh...everything will be ok. Just rest now..." I whisper in her ear and stroke her head doing my best to keep what little control over the situation I have in check. Her hands fall to my side as her head droops down and gently bumps into mine as she passes out into a deep sleep, although I wait a few moments until I'm positive she's knocked out. Now would be the perfect chance to calmly roll her over...and while doing so I'm reminded that her body is still deathly cold. "Mph...don't mind me Falcom, I'm just gonna lay you down right here."

"Gear!" I looked back towards the trap path to see Uni struggling to stay in the air as she hauls a man by his belt towards me. I signal for her to lower her voice and head closer to the cave for Falcom's sake, I can't have her waking up and getting hysterical again. "This bum...so heavy...got to get rid of..." She threw the bandit in my direction and glided the rest of the way down here panting. "One...second...hah..." Uni caught her breath a little and kicked him over onto his stomach and then violently woke him up by stomping on his rear, making sure her talons pierced his cloth at the least.

"Gwaaaaah! You blasted har-argh!"

Uni dug her talons even deeper and twisted her foot a little. "Speak when you're spoken to!" She applied even more pressure for a few seconds and then pulled back to give him a chance to breathe. "The sooner you tell us what you know the sooner this 'scrawny buzzard' will be off your case." The ferocity in her eyes was like nothing I've ever seen before...it feels as if no matter what I say Uni won't have any of it.

"Alright alright, I'll tell you what little I know! Just sto-"

"Out with it!"

"Toughman came out of nowhere a while ago saying he had big plans for the lot of us. Said if we did a good job with Haneda we'd be able to move up in the world but...

"...but?" She was ready to dig into him again but he kept on going for the sake of being able to sit down again.

"...we're not really in it to go big. We're all just bums who want it easy in life! Sure we bullied people but they made it so easy be being wim-" He covered his head and buried his face in the dirt confessing everything. "N-nevermind! Everything was fine when I was the boss but..." He looked up and finally noticed that all his comrades were down, but not out fortunately, along with the remains of Toughman...or rather the Golem Underling was piloting. "Is he...?"

"He's just an empty shell now." I spoke up to spare him any more pain from Uni and her interrogation methods. It'd be best if he didn't know someone was actually inside, he sounded pretty happy he saw the rubble. "Now tell us, um..."

"...Butterbean..."

I held in my smirk and continued speaking with him. "Now that he's out of the way Butterbean, what do you plan on doing now?" I hope he's thinking real hard on what they'll do from now on because Uni looks like she's getting impatient.

"I have another foot! I swear I'll start digging into the other cheek!"

"Ok we'll stop being so...bandity!"

"What else!?"

"Uni, I-"

"Butt out Gear."

Goodness! What did Butterbean do to her to make her so angry? I...I think it would be best for everyone if I just let her finish and hopefully settle down. If I upset her anymore she might take it out on him, and it seems he doesn't entirely deserve it.

"I'm sorry for all those bird jokes from earlier and we'll seriously stop being so bad! I'll return what little we stole from this week even, just let me have my ass back!" As soon as he apologized Uni let him go and gave him a swift kick towards the cave. "You have one minute before we go in there after you!"

Butterbean held his behind as he ran into the cave and sure enough a minute later he came running back out with bags and boxes stacked so high they covered his face. "I got everything see?" He quickly dropped everything to our feet and held out a separate bag that bore the old IF's belt logo. "Stealing all of this stuff was a bad idea anyway, this thing gives me the creeps." He second guessed himself when he took a step toward Uni and instead handed me the bag. "Can I go help the others now?"

Uni was already heading back toward Falcom but she nodded and waved him away. I feel a slight urge to check what's in IFs bag but...that wouldn't be in my best interest especially without her permission, she might still be mad at me for touching Compa. That and I'm afraid that she'll find out somehow... "Packing all this away individually would take a while. I wonder what would happen if I point my N-Gear at all of this instead..." To my surprise a wide beam shot out from the top of the my handheld and scanned the supplies up and down, making them more and more transparent until they were gone completely. "'Haneda Supplies have been added to inventory'. Wow, that's...pretty nice actually. I've always wondered mass storage worked." After discovering how the easy it was to store things I walked back to Uni, kneeling next to her letting her lean on me a bit. "Uni..." Is she...crying?

"Wh-what is it Gear?" She asked as she pulled out her N-Gear and started fooling around with the on-screen buttons. She was doing her best to hold back her sniffling but she looked as if she could lose it at any second. Her head hung low as she choked on her tears a bit. "I'm...I'm not skin and bones am I?"

"Is that what he said?"

"That wasn't even the worst of it...but what does he know! Why should I care what some smelly jerk thinks anyway..." Tears had started dripping down from her face onto the N-Gear as it sat in her lap, blinking and ringing as it tried to contact IF.

"You shouldn't care what he or anyone else thinks." I nod, rubbing her shoulders a little and nudging her a bit, making her rest her head on my shoulders.

She let out a few more sobs, hit what I assume was the redial button, and wiped her tears away as she gazed up at me. "B-but...I kind of care how you think about me...a little...maybe..." Her cheeks started getting a little red as she inched closer to my face. "Could you...could you tell me..." She shifted her entire body and put the N-Gear on the opposite side of her away from Falcom.

I changed direction as well and placed both hands on her shoulders. "Come on Uni, you shouldn't need me to tell you anything. I happen to like your body just the way it is." That may have come out wrong...but I'm only saying what's on my mind. "Just don't let what people say get to you again, ok?"

"...mhm..."

Seeing her close her eyes like that made my heart race...this is the Uni I want to see more of...I leaned forward and whispered to reassure her of my feelings. "You should know by now that I'll always l-"

"It's about time you two called, it's nearly dusk!"

Uni had gone sprawling backwards, but not before we bumped our heads together as IF interrupted our moment. She sounded a little panicked and out of breath as she called out to us for some reason though.

"What's going on over there?"

I picked up Uni's N-Gear and crawled over to check on if she was ok...and her face had went beet red as she lied there with her chest heaving in panic. She could only muster up the will to stare at me with wide eyes until I sat back down to chat with IF. "N-nothing happened, we just got finished um..." What do I say? I was so caught up in the moment that I-wait, I think hear someone other than IF breathing on the call. "Um...what's going on over THERE?" Goodness me, why did I just say that?

"N-nothing." The sounds of shuffling could be heard in the distance until she spoke up again. "We were beginning to get worried. What happened in Haneda?"

As Uni recovered I explained to her how we met Falcom, put Butterbean's bandits in check, and how Underling was the 'real' Toughman and ruining Haneda.

"Sounds like something crazy is going on up there. If those bandits are true to their word maybe I can arrange for a way for them to work off all the damage they've caused. Shame about that woman Neptune hired, but we can check up on her when you get back. Oh yeah, about what I wanted you to pick up, did you get that back?"

"You mean this bag?" I had laid it off to the side instead of storing it away, I was very curious as to why it crept Butterbean out but I still haven't found out why.

"Yes, reach inside and you should find some small feathery items. Pull it out and think about returning home. That should be enough for now. See you when you all get here." She didn't bother explaining why I was doing any of this and hung up before I had a chance to ask what would happen...but it's not like she's steered me wrong before so here goes.

I pulled out a tiny wing the size of my hand and clasped it as I thought about going back to Planeptune. My hand suddenly started to glow as the feather escaped my hold and hovered in the middle of the three us. Falcom was still asleep and Uni's breathing had returned to normal as all three of us slowly floated up...and suddenly sky rocketed toward the sky in a beam of white light.

* * *

_Oh hey, it's been a whole month since I've started posting these. I'm...surprised to be honest. I mean, this all started off as a little side thing to a random idea and here I am writing out an actual world based on the concept behind those. Go me, I think._

_Falcom is alright by the way.  
_


	16. Soft Landing

_I think when the time comes and difficulty posting these happens, I'll be able to stockpile more stories in case this happens again. I think at the rate this story goes, V will be out and I'll be able to expand a wee bit more on the story, instead of finishing it and having to kick things off again. Expect some breaks in the plot, not necessarily filler, but things that just help explore some characters and things, like Falcom and the arc after that. That may be interesting due to who will show up, but I've already said too much._

* * *

I can't believe how high that feather sent us...this view is absolutely beautiful. The sun had a magnificent orange glow as it sank into the horizon leaving behind a glow that had a hint of red and faded into the blue night sky. The sea of clouds softly rolled under us with the occasional gap exposing the world below us, showing several familiar and new places. I felt my weightlessness fade as we slowly descended, and like earlier plummet shortly afterward.

I bet this is how Uni feels all the time when she flies...being able to soar through the sky without a care in the world. To be able to leave the ground and quickly go where she feels like...she must be suffering being grounded. Although...we're headed toward the ground pretty fast and we're showing no signs of slowing down.

"Um...Uni?" I called out to her but I think we were going down at such a speed I don't think she heard me. "Uni! Wh-what are we going to do!?" Falcom was still sleeping soundly and Uni was somehow sitting, huddled up a bit, as the familiar landscape of Planeptune zoomed into view. No matter how loud I got Uni didn't seem to hear me, she only looked at me and motioned for me to calm down and stand straight up. The basilicom was coming into full view and I couldn't help but curl up and panic even more. "Goodneeeeeeeeeee-Oof!"

I had closed my eyes when everything came into to view and waited for the inevitable...I was sure nothing bad was going to happen but I couldn't help but be surprised at how things were turning out. I landed on my rear with a firm thud and looked around to see everyone landing as gently as when I first used the wing. Falcom was still sound asleep as we landed, followed by Uni who still seemed to be a little bothered from before take-off still.

"Nice landing, my woolie sibling!" I turned around to see Neptune standing in the basilicom doorway with Noire right behind her. "IF said we should be expecting the both of you soon. I can't wait to hear what the two of you have been up to. Ooh, is that Falcom I see back there?" In a single bound she was already near us and took note of Falcom's neck almost immediately. "Hey hey Noire, come check this out!"

Noire came over with a hand on her hip and leaned over to get a good look for herself. Her tail waved about curiously as she peered down on Falcom with Neptune, who was humming to herself. "Would you keep it down, the poor girl is trying to nyap-ahem, nap." She gasped as she corrected her slip while my sister giggled.

"I...need a cold bath." Uni spoke up briefly as she headed inside, giving me a look that seemed to say what words couldn't. I'll have to wrap things up out here and try to find her as soon as possible. "Good night everyone, in case I'm too tired to do so afterwards."

"Did something happen between you and my sister, Nepgear?" Her tail slowed down as she turned to see me watch her sister go into the basilicom. "Nevermind, it's probably none of my business anyway. Mind telling us what happened to this girl though? Just looking at her makes my hair stand on end..."

They both turned to face me as I explained to them all what happened to Uni and I recently. Neptune seemed to be enjoying the story as Noire scoffed a little and started tugging at her neck ribbon. "...after we got the supplies back IF answered the call and here we are." Even though the sun is barely setting I yawn as I finish explaining everything to our older sisters.

"Ohoho, did you hear that Noire? Our little sisters are finally going on cool adventures! Aren't you proud of them?"

"Meh, a little... They managed to find a King Slime in one of their first missions, so what." She turned to face me as she nervously played with her ribbon still. "It's not like those are terribly difficult to handle or are incredibly tasty or anything. Did you...did you get a taste before it faded away at least?"

"Goodness, we...forgot to try." Getting a taste of the giant slime was one of the last things on our minds at that moment, we were just so focused on winning, but it did lose its crown. "That's it!" I pumped my fists as I remembered that. "I forgot to mention that while I was slamming the King the crown got stuck in my horn! But...I had Uni pull it out and we...kind of forgot it. Oops."

Noire breathed a sigh of relief and finally left her nearly undone ribbon alone. "Typical rookie mistake. Had Neptune or I been there we would've had a feast on top of something incredibly rare." It's almost as if she didn't want Uni doing something so impressive so early in her guild missions. "Anyway, it looks like you've been through a lot. You should wash up along with Uni, your wool is getting kind of dirty. No offense of course. We'll take care of your friend though, so don't worry about her."

I'll admit that now that things have calmed down I do feel a little dirty. I wonder what IF and Compa are doing...I thought they would want to greet us after two jobs well done. Hmm, maybe I'll bump into them on the way to bath. As a matter of fact where's-"Histoire!?" I was lost in thought wondering where everyone was and nearly bumped my head into her as I headed into the basilicom.

"I didn't mean to scare you Nepgear." She greeted me with a smile as she hovered in my face. "I take it you and Uni had a successful mission?"

"Yep. I'd give you the details but I'm on my way to the bath." I carefully stepped around her, making sure to not bump into her new wingspan.

"Very well, perhaps I'll get the details from you afterward. May I get your N-Gear back?"

I pulled it out and held in front of me wondering how exactly she'd carry it around. "Of course. I don't think there's anything wrong with it though, we took pretty good care of them I bel-"

"Haneda supplies?"

"Hm?" I didn't even notice the N-Gear leaving my hand and facing up toward her with a faint glittery glow. "Oh my goodness how could I have forgotten about those!?" Between stopping Underling from wreaking more havoc and calming Falcom down I failed to remember we needed to return all those supplies. "Oh Histoire, what do I do!?"

Histoire giggled as the N-Gear floated under her, monitor facing down, as she took a seat on top of it. "Don't worry too much about it, I'll have Neptune take care of this, you probably need your rest. Although you should check in with her in the morning yourself for IF's sake. Now get along before you're too tired to clean yourself up."

I nod and quickly make my way past her deeper into the basilicom, through winding corridors and several of our rooms until I get to a closed door with steam coming out from underneath it. I knock gently, letting myself in as I call out to whoever was inside. "IF? Compa?" Wait a minute, can Compa even bathe with her condition?

"Stupid me...what was I thinking hitting redial at a time like that. So stupid..."

I can hardly see a thing in here but I could've sworn I just heard Uni. I take a few steps farther in and I can almost see her through the steam.

"Gear's finally getting out of her sleepy phase or...whatever they call it...maturing or something. She's finally getting more up and about and the one time she starts talking to me IF interrupts." Does she always talk to herself like this when she's alone? "Bah! I guess I'll have to wait for a chance to get her to myself again. Nnngh..." It looked like she was reaching for her back but she dropped her puffy loofah with a little splash in the process and let out a sigh. "Maybe it's better I just don't say anything. I mean, I'm fine with just being with her, and I don't want things to get weird if I actually say it but..."

I could hardly see the tiles on the floor thanks to the steam and bubbles but I think I felt the the loofah hit my foot. I instinctively picked it up and silently approached Uni, careful not to slip on the suds floating around. She could use a nice surprise right about now with the way she's treating herself. Slowly but surely I get closer to her and got on my knees, hoping to not cast my shadow down to where she can see it. Now to wait for the right moment...

"Ugh, I wish that square girl were here right now...I'd really like to get my ba-"

I thought about shouting surprise but decided against it and simply ran the loofah down her spine. Uni fought every urge to leap in response and arched her back as she tried not to scream. "Aaah, Noire!" She turned her head and froze when she realized it was probably the last person she wanted to see right now. "Wh-what are you doing in here you square girl!? I thought you'd still be outside!"

"It turns out I'm dirtier than I thought...well Histoire pointed it out, but I decided I should take care of it because it's been a while." I stood up to get in front of her so she could get a good look at my back. "How bad is it Uni?" I looked back to see her staring intently at me, grumbling to herself. "Hm?"

"Oh right. Your back is looking awfully dirty, I don't think washing it out will be enough." She stood up and dragged me backwards, towards the end of the room near where the bathroom accessories were at. "Let me dry my hands off for a second. Don't look. As a matter of fact close your eyes, you already got to peek on me."

"That's fair...I guess."

She grumbled something under her breath as she dried her hands and messed with the accessories on the wall. "...not like I can peek on you with all that wool covering you anyway..."

"What was that?"

"N-nothing. Now I'm going to need you to stand still." With a click the sound of loud buzzing filled the room as Uni placed a hand on my shoulder. "Sorry if I go too low."

"Go too low with whaaaaa-!" The source of the buzzing dulled as it came into contact with my wool, and cold metal pressed against my back. "U-Uni what are y-"

I must've thrown her concentration off when I tried to ask her what it was she was trying to do, the buzzing got loud for a moment and I felt her stumble a little. "Aah Gear! You messed me up. Now I have to cut low all around now." She didn't sound all that disappointed as she circled me, running the clippers down from the top of my stomach to just below the belly button, paying close attention to not go any lower. "There we go."

I looked down and admired my new midriff and rubbed it a little. "This...feels pretty nice actually. A little ticklish but I can get over that I think."

"Now as winner of the Slime herding...I demand you let me scrub you down and give me a proper sleepover!"

"W-wait, I thought we agreed on a tie. We both gathered the same amount of Slimes."

Uni guided me towards a seat and sat me down. "I-I got mine out there first. ...Yeah that's it, mine were out there before yours so you have do what I say. I'm going to wash you up real good and then we'll have a proper sleepover, got it? Maybe next time you won't take your sweet uh...time!" I didn't want to deny her that, it seems fair enough. Not only do I need a good washing she deserves to have her fun.

"Be gentle with me, my stomach feels pretty ticklish."

"Hmhmhm...good!"

* * *

_Now Nepgear looks more like the image for the cover of the story. No sign on the rest of the Nepus getting the monster treatment, but there's plenty of time for that to happen. Hope you liked this bit._


	17. A New Duo?

_Another chapter squeezed out and we've got ourselves a little plot forming up. With Underling discovered it's only a matter of time before Nepgear is hot on her heels in hopes of finding out what she's up to. Surely it's no good, right? We'll see as Nepgear gets ready to go off on her what will soon be an adventure that takes her to new locales and familiar friends...but will said friends recognize her? I also seem to have goofed, I'm bring Falcom's arc to a close now, sorry for the confusion guys. We've still got a bug issue and a quick show before Nepgear will part ways.  
_

_Kuroi-Yasha: The arc is only beginning and think you'll like the bits of action I have in store for...I've said too much already. I can say for sure that there will be more enemies that might bring back memories for those who have played games on Planeptune's console. Hm...I think I can safely say that Underling will in fact be making another appearance. Soon at that.  
_

_mega-dark: Falcom is fine, it'll take more than a little mental breakdown to put her out of commission. All those adventures have helped her grow into a strong, young woman and she may have a thing or two to teach Nepgear. Their bonding time is time well spent as things take a turn for...not necessarily the worse, but Uni may have to miss out on Nepgear's next assignment.  
_

* * *

"Nepgear..."

"Nnnnm...just a few more...grassy...patches..."

"Wake up Nepgear."

Who could be trying to wake me up at this hour of the night? I felt a pair of small hands land on my shoulder and try to rock me back and forth gently, whatever they want I'm sure it could wait another couple of minutes...or hours though... "I had hoped this was the first habit you broke when you started maturing. I suppose I have no choice but to turn the lights on..."

"Waah! No! I'll get up!" I wearily open an eye and see Histoire fluttering about impatiently as I do my best to actually get out of bed, but the most I can manage in my groggy state is sitting at the edge of my bed and rubbing my eyes a bit. I turned to check on Uni but the other side of my bed has been neatly made with her no where in sight. "Hm? Where did Uni go?"

"Uni had no trouble waking up. I've been trying to wake you for the past three minutes." Histoire said with little flip as she started flying towards the door. "Please try to make it to the conference room in a timely manner, we're in need of a quick discussion regarding recent events."

With a stretch I hop out of bed and regrettably leave the comfort of my bed. All the lights in the hallway are dimly lit and everything is so quiet...what time is it? I take a quick look outside through one of the windows in here and it's so dark I can barely see anything. "Good-" A yawn escapes my mouth as I continue down the hall drowsily. "-ness. How early did she wake us up? I don't even think the sun has started rising yet." A few more doors down the hallway and I see a brightly lit room with a little commotion going inside. "Histoire?" I poked my head inside and was greeted not by her, but by a very cheery Compa.

"Ge-Ge! You look so adorable when you're all sleepy and stuff." How is she so lively this early in the morning, does she even need sleep? Hm...going clockwise I'd say Compa was the one facing directly towards me with a sleepy IF leaning on the table at her side, followed by Noire with a somewhat sad looking Uni, and finally Neptune with an empty seat next to her. I seated myself as Histoire flew in and landed on the center of the table.

"Alright, I'll try to keep this meeting short as the Lastation sisters have business to attend to back home."

"What!? No!" Noire and Uni both stood and shouted as they slapped the table. Everyone turned to look at them...followed by an awkward silence filled the room as they took their seats. Uni laid her head down on the table and Noire simply closed her eyes and started tugging at her neck ribbon again with a twitchy eyebrow.

"...As I was saying, the Lastation sisters are needed back home. Kei didn't give me the details, but it's quite serious if she can't handle the workload by herself." Histoire continued with her speech as she hovered and brought up a digital map under her with the wave of a finger. "It seems like things are slowly spiraling out of order in the areas near Lastation and Kei can only handle so many places at once." As she zoomed in to the Lastation area it became more obvious that Gamindustri has gotten bigger...a trip from here to the other CPU's cities seems like it could take an extra day or so through the usual means.

"I guess we don't have a choice. Our trip has been a little longer than usual, but it's not like we were having a blast, right Uni?" Noire's ribbon was nearly undone at this point but she managed to speak up without sounding too flustered or bothered about having to leave Planeptune.

"Yeah...right..." Uni sighed but started to pick up on her sister's act. "I mean, I could hardly rest knowing that these two were...were trying to steal our thunder by trying to outdo us!" They both stood up as she continued to put on a show. "I feel as if I've been slacking being paired up with Nepgear anyway." As they started to leave Uni stopped when she got to me and put something small in my hand. It was too big to be an earring though... "D-Don't think of this as a gift or anything like that. This AzureFang is a special device that will let us communicate together...so I can make sure that you're ok...for the sake of competition of course. Your choker is convenient place for it and when I call you just put it on your ear, or you can just hit the speaker button. I mean when you want to call, no, when-

Noire placed a hand on Uni's back and guided her out while looking back at us. "Oh, by the way Neptune, next time we do missions for the guild don't hog the big stuff. Come on Uni."

"Now we'll move onto business around these parts." Histoire panned the map back towards Planeptune and pointed at Haneda. "Neptune, I'll have you deliver the N-Gear with the supplies back here in Nepgear's stead."

"Aww, that's no f-"

"Ah ah! It's not a matter of fun or eating goodies. You're the Matriarch of this region and it's your job to make sure things don't go wrong. We can't end up like Leanbox." She slid the map over to the island that Leanbox resided on and it had several bridges connecting it to the shores near Lastation and Planeptune. "I've heard rumors from Chika that there seems to be some kind of trouble brewing in the nearby cities and resorts. Lady Vert hasn't been doing much to find out what the problem is herself and the people are growing restless. It's not a Planeptune affair so we mustn't interfere unless they seek us out or the situation gets worse."

As I clamp the AzureFang onto my choker I can only hope that Vert is able make her people happy before it's too late. I just hope she isn't...no, Vert wouldn't be crazy enough to try to get other people in on her little games. "So if Neptune is going to return the supplies to Haneda, does that also mean she's going to make sure Butterbean and his group are staying true to their word?"

Histoire nodded and smiled as she hovered over to me. "Correct. As for you Nepgear, I assume that you're wanting to find out what this Underling is up to."

I perked up after hearing that...a chance to chase down Underling and find out what's going on? I can't pass this up. "O-of course! I can't let her get away with what she's done to Falcom and Haneda."

"Ah, my little sister's urge to beat the snot outta bad guys has finally surfaced!" Neptune leaned over and gave me a loud glopping hug and nuzzled her smooth cheeks with mine. "I can't wait to hear more stories of your adventures!"

I took a quick glance at Compa and she was looking at us with a huge smile and a hint of jealousy in her eye. "Aw, they're so adorable Iffy! I want to have a little kid to hold and hug and-"

IF, who was doing her best to stay awake this whole time, shot up and nearly fell out of her chair. "Wh-wh-what!? W-we talked about this last ni-" She froze as all the attention in the room had shifted focus towards her. "Ahem, I mean we talked about this a while ago and-"

"I...was thinking we could secretly adopt Ge-Ge or one of Lady Blanc's sisters or something. I...What are you talking about Iffy?" IF looked like she was about to cry and put her head down on the desk with a thud. She's pretty cute when she isn't being strict with guild related things...I'd like to see more of this IF actually.

"Now now, let's settle down. Nepgear, you must attend to some business with Guildie regarding the extermination and then you are to head to Heimdall Forest after Underling. You'll be without your N-Gear due to Neptune and some changes I'd like to make to it, but you won't be without help. You'll have to make do with the less spacious Neportable, but I doubt you'll fill it to its capacity." Histoire closed up the map, conjured up a small device that was about as big as she was, and left the room. "IF, Compa, please continue to enjoy the rest of your vacation."

"Well, you heard her Ge-Ge. We'll be rooting for you!" Compa waved good bye as I got out of my sister's sloppy hug...hm? She didn't leave any slime on me or anything? IF muttered something also as I left the room, but I was too busy wondering how much control Neptune has over her goo to hear her.

As I get near the exit a panicked Falcom approaches from behind. "Oh good, I caught you before you left. I've been running all over looking for Lady Histoire, have you seen her?" I pointed in the direction of the conference room. "Aaah I was just over there! Thanks, and good morning!" She went bolting back towards where I saw Histoire last and I headed to the guild alone. Should Falcom even be running around after what happening yesterday?

"Gooooood morning Miss Nepgear. Flying solo this morning I see." Guildie wasn't going nearly as fast as she was the last time I saw her, maybe she's winding down from the night shift or something. "What can I help you with?"

"Oh, um, I'm here to discuss the Slime extermination near Haneda. IF said I should-"

"Say no more, I've got all the necessary info pulled up. Let's see here...ah, there we go. One extermination quest, requested by Mrs. IF...issued to a Nepgear and Uni. Ah right, Uni isn't here but I'm sure she'll be ok if you accept on her behalf." She crouched down below the counter and made a lot of noise as she moved some things around. "Your reward is..." She came back up with two tiny flasks of blue liquid. "...Puni Juice! Oh, a nice chunk of credits as well."

"Wait, what's a Puni?"

"I suppose I can spare a minute for a quick explanation. Think of a Slime, although more...wimpy and diverse. You get one in the palms of your hands and-" She brings both her hands together above the little containers of monster juice with such force that the noise she made rings out through the nearly empty Guild.

"Goodness!" Her clap was much louder than I expected as it echoed throughout the empty Guild halls. I grabbed the flasks and put them away in the N-Portable and headed towards the outskirts of Planeptune, waving good bye to Guildie and anyone I passed by.

After a few minutes I had reached the border of the city and looked ahead in hopes I could see Heimdall from here. "Hm...it shouldn't take too long if I keep up a decent pace. Hopefully I'll get there before noon." I shrug a little and check my supplies again to make sure I have all that I need. Some Puni Juice, a couple of bottles of Nep-Bull, and some credits...wish I had some normal food but I guess I'll have to find some myself. "Things will be pretty boring without Uni around..."

"Lady Nepgear!" It was as if stepping out of the city summoned a none other than Falcom, carrying a brand new guitar-shaped case and looking very refreshed even though she was catching her breath after running to greet me. "Phew...caught up with you finally. I've been given permission to join you in your pursuit of Underling. I hope you don't mind too much."

We went and headed northwest out of the city, but I had a nagging feeling I had to confirm with her myself. "Are you sure you should be up running around like this?"

"Hm? I'm fine...unless you don't want me around..."

"No no, I do! I'm just a little worried is all."

"Don't be, a good night of rest is just what I needed. It'll take a lot to keep me down."

We smiled at each other as the both of us made our way to Heimdall. "Welcome aboard Falcom!"


	18. Sweet and Sour Flavors

_The dreaded day is nearing where I'll have find a new way to post these. I've probably already mentioned how things are going down, and allergies prevent me trying to remember at the moment. Anyway, we're going to get a little more plot as well as finding out the deal with Falcom's neck...maybe.  
_

* * *

So far my trip to Heimdall forest has gotten off to a great start. Neptune is going to to check on Haneda and Butterbean in my stead, Uni gave me a way to keep in touch with her, and Falcom seems to be in much better spirits and is tagging along with me. Although...I wonder what happened to her old case. "Hey Falcom, where did you get that new case? I don't remember me or Neptune ever actually playing an instrument." I don't even think my sister could use one if she wanted to, well, maybe a few.

"Oh, this? When I mentioned I wanted to repay you for helping me Histoire suggested that I come along and help you with this Underling person." She reached to scratch her neck but pulled back as she got near her collar, doing her best to not let it bother her. "She said as long as I'm willing to help you out I'd be allowed to lug this thing around. I think she said it was a Dragon Slayer or something but we shouldn't have to deal anything that big, right?"

"I hope not. I think Uni and I almost bumped into one a while ago and it was terrifying. This forest shouldn't have anything too threatening in it, right? I'm sure big monsters don't want to live near human towns." I just realized I have no idea what could be waiting for us in this forest, hopefully there are Dogoos or something almost as harmless are in the forest. I have to get used to being a monster if I'm going to catch up to Underling, I'll be useless if I'm not at full strength so I'd like to start small. "So Falcom, um, how long have you been adventuring?"

"I think I started around when I was a little younger, probably around your age actually. I still remember how my first adventure started...just floating about in the middle of the ocean, deep sea fishing..." She smiles and takes a quick glance at the rising morning sun. "Do you...do you actually want to hear some of my stories? I don't think I've ever had a chance to share them with anyone."

Anything that will get her mind off her neck and into more pleasant memories is fine by me. "Of course! Maybe I'll even learn a thing or two from you." I'm really curious as to how this Falcom's adventures differ from the one I already know. I'm surprised that the most that's changed about her was her hair and clothes...maybe some of my friends haven't become monsters?

"Heh, um..." Falcom was now looking directly ahead with a slightly red face trying to put her words together properly. "I think I got it. It all started when I decided to go deep sea fishing for the first time and..." She started off nervously telling me the details about how she got caught in a storm, ending up having to survive on an uncharted island, and escaping before things get hairy. I don't think I'd ever be able to last that long by myself, I'm nowhere near as experienced as she is with...survival.

She was in the middle of another story about her exploration of an old tower near Lan Castle when Heimdall Forest finally came into view. "Wow, it felt like we just left Planeptune and we're already here. Lady Nepgear, I'll have to finish this story another time."

"Oh, you don't have to keep calling me Lady. We're friends, right?"

"Friends? I just thought I was returning a favor..." Falcom seemed to smile at the thought of that but I couldn't imagine why. "...but to be friends with a Matriarch's little sister. To have a friend..." She sped up before I could ask her what she meant by Matriarch and what that last bit she said was. "Well, now that we're friends let's make catching Underling an adventure in itself!"

I had to start sprinting after her and before we knew we were running past the trees and entering Heimdall itself. "Falcom, shouldn't we be a little more cautious?" We started to slow down and noticed that the monsters in the forest weren't being very aggressive at all. There were plenty of ragged looking wolves abound and even Cardbirds, but they both ignored each other while avoiding us.

"You must be intimidating them somehow Nepgear, they're avoiding us like the plague." Falcom and I ventured deeper into the forest and came across several clearings where monsters would scatter when we passed through. I have no idea how I'd be scaring other monsters, I'm just being...me. "I'm starting to think we might've done something to spook these critters when we got here..."

I'm pretty sure we're about to have a fight on our hands, the bushes rustled behind us with the sound of a slurp when she said that. "I don't think they're all spooked..." As I said that an odd colored Slime and an even happier jelly monster came tumbling out of the brush...that must be a Puni, but something was off about it. The Puni was a sickly green and the Slime was yellow with brown spots...I bet they're both poisonous with colors like that. No, that's silly...but they're making me a little hungry. My stomach growled a little telling me it was time for breakfast...or brunch, it's hard to tell what time it is with these huge trees everywhere.

"Ooh! I bet the Slime tastes like lemon!" The thought of a new flavored monster got the better of me and I leapt at the cute little morsels, taking them by surprise. "Gotcha!" I even surprised myself as I wrapped my hands around the spotted Slime and before I knew it I was giving it a few whacks before defeating it. "Like my sister would say, 'easy peasy lemon squeezy!" Hm, it's smaller than I thought but it'll have to do...oh well, here's hoping it's as tasty as it looks. I shoved all of it into my mouth and waited for the flavor to settle in. ...I knew it was lemon! I'm so excited about having a little jelly snack and-

"N-Nepgear, what in the world are you doing!?"

I turned back to see Falcom drop her case and cover her mouth in horror as she dropped to her knees. I completely forgot she was here when I saw the monsters...I probably look like a mess with this thing in my mouth. "Faco...I...an epain!" Oh goodness, my mouth is still full! "Nng...aaah! Falcom wait, I can explain!"

"No no, I shouldn't be surprised at this. I just didn't think you'd be so...enthusiastic about eating." She's starting to look like she's in pain now. "Sorry about getting...hnngh...sick on you, you took me by surprise."

"Falcom?"

She was shuddering uncontrollably and gritting her teeth as she tried to get back on her feet. "Just...give me a second..." She groaned and fell to her side...motionless.

"Falcom!" I scrambled to get on my feet, ignoring the terrified Puni and bringing Falcom to her knees and holding her head to my body, closing my eyes as I comfort her. "Oh Falcom, I'm so sorr-" When I lifted her up and brought her closer to me I heard a strange popping noise like...like one of the champagne bottles Noire keeps hidden in her room that have my sister's name all over them. Although how Uni found out about th-wait, this isn't the time to question their habits! Although I should see if Harpy Uni knows any of this Noire's crazy secrets. "What's that...smell?" The sweet aroma of...cherries filled the air and brought my attention back to Falcom as her body shifted a bit. Her head feels lighter for some reason, I think she may have recovered and wants to get up now. "Are you feeling ok now?" I released her head...but it felt like I dropped her instead somehow.

"Ow! Nepgear!" I heard a thud and looked down to see...nothing! There's nothing at my feet except for...Falcom's head!? "Are you there Nepgear? Why is everything sideways?" I backed up a few steps and tried to piece together things in my head...I mean figure things out! Oh no, that was in bad taste! "Ngh...I can't move either... Where are you?" Her head wobbled back and forth as she tried to get her bearings.

"F-Falcom, your head..." I cautiously walked back to her head and knelt down to pick her up. "Um, I don't know how to explain this, but..." I lifted her above me so I could see how exactly this happened but I can't make heads or tails of the situation. Goodness I did it again! The base of her neck had an odd...swirl in it and it seemed like I could...no, it's if I don't even think about that.

"Nepgear." She spoke in a very calm voice.

"Yes?"

"Why is my body walking towards us with green goop in its hands?" As I turned to look Falcom's body had already knelt down beside me, her hands cupped with what looked like...green Puni Juice. When did her body slip away from me to even get that? The Puni Juice was oozing out of her hands as she tried to force feed it to...herself. This is so confusing. "Blaghgh! Nebla-!" Wait, I think I understand what's going on!

"Eat it up Falcom."

I can't blame her for freaking out but when she spat it out she...couldn't turn her head. "Blech! Oh, sorry Nepgear..."

"You have to eat this for your own sake, believe me." It smells like...sour apple? Sour grape? I'm not sure and I don't know how I should go about cleaning my face off.

"Why would I ever want to do that?! This is beyond sour as well, it's like lime or something."

I had to explain to her briefly the importance of eating small monsters like this for the sake of keeping herself sane and not starving herself. "It's ok if you eat normal food, but if you don't get...what did IF say it was...I forget the technical term but you need it, but whatever it's called little monsters like this have plenty to spare if you catch them." I slyly tilt her head back and coax her into taking in the juice as I give her a quick run-down.

Falcom shot me a little glare as I leaned her back. I know she probably doesn't appreciate this but it's truly for her own good, I can't let her suffer through what I did. With a final gulp and a sigh of relief Falcom wiggles her head to face her body. Wait a minute...where did the juice go!? "I have seen some horrible things on my journeys..." Her body grabbed her head and placed it firmly...on her own neck and pressed down a little harder, sealing away the cherry scent. "...but this is something entirely different."

"I..." I don't know what to say about this situation. Falcom was just headless for a moment but I think she's taking it well, with the exception of having Puni Juice poured down her throat-er, into her head?. She repositioned herself and sat knee to knee with me and looked me dead in the eye and placed her hands on my shoulders. "Think of it like this, your body instinctively knew that you needed some fruity juice. You're an amazing adventuress for taking this so well."

"Nepgear..."

"Y-yes?"

She let out a heavy sigh and suddenly started shaking me! "What in the world just happened to me!? Why did my head pop off like that!? Why is that juice leaving a good taste in my mouth suddenly!?" She's shaking me so hard everything I see is becoming a blur.

"Ple-a-a-a-se st-o-o-o-p sh-sh-shaking m-!"

"Shhh, did you hear that?" Everything was still spinning and shaking while Falcom covered my mouth. "Listen..." She dragged me into the brush kept us low to ground as the noise she heard got closer. We peeked through the bushes a little to see Underling tumbling out of the bushes on the other side.

"It looks like I overslept a little." She let out a tiny yawn and did a few stretches to limber herself up. If she wasn't an underling to whoever 'boss lady' was this might kind of...cute. "I wonder who was causing all that commotion just now." She scanned the area and found Falcom's guitar case lying in the clearing and rubbed her chin a little. "Hm...this could be a problem. If someone is lost in this forest I have to hurry and lose them in Erethisan City before I'm caught, Boss Lady will have my hide! I can't afford to be caught." I almost want to start calling her...what was her real name again? It's been so long since she's told us to stop calling her Underling I've forgotten, but she's acting like a completely different person and she almost sounds nice. As we lie prone in the grass Underling pulls a small, dual screened device from her poofy pants and starts tapping at the screen. "It's unfortunate that this person is lost in here but orders are orders. Now where is it...Bombs...Drills...Grass...ah, there we go."

I watched in awe as she backed up while a bright light shined above Falcom's case, and revealed a large green insect that seemed to use four...talons for walking as the light vanished. It also had large purple scythes on its arms and had a sleek head that bore only one eye...it gives me the creeps looking at it.

"I need you to guard this area and make sure-"

"Sksss!" It took a swipe at her, forcing her to retreat back where she came from.

"F-fine! Do whatever you want...jerk! I hope whoever finds you beats you up!" She fled immediately as the insect took another swipe at her.

I don't know what this thing is, but it didn't even make a full circle in the clearing before it stopped to look in our direction and started shuffling at us.

"It looks like I'll have to worry about my head case later Nepgear. We've got ourselves a big bug to squash!"


	19. A Storm Is Brewing

_Oh hey, internet is still intact, but now I've hit a slight slump in moods. But that is hopefully a passing feeling as I get back into my groove. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, as it's got a little action going on if you remember from last time._

* * *

"Split up Nepgear!" Falcom shoved me off to the right and rolled to the left side of this giant...mantis and avoided its powerful scythe appendages. Its arm got stuck in the ground from attacking so recklessly and gave us a chance to properly get to our feet and assess the situation. "We don't have a lot time, we have to come with a plan!"

"Wh-what are we going to do? I don't think my wool can take a slice from those things!" It's pretty resilient looking for a bug, I don't think it'll be going down so easily...not from my attacks anyway. It's green body gives off a faint shine as it pulled its scythe out of the ground and skittered back over Falcom's case as it tried to decide on who to attack first. After a few moments it turned its body and hissed as it inched toward Falcom.

"Nepgear, it's going to be up to y-" She couldn't finish before the mantis screeched and shot a stream of white mist at her feet. "What the..." She tried to get away but the mist had formed into a thick looking cocoon that wrapped around her feet. Falcom even tried with all her might pull her legs free, but it was useless, she was tightly secured in its trap. "Hnngh! I can't...move!"

I have to do something...but what!? This thing looks a far too sturdy for me to attack bare handed and headbutting it would be extremely reckless, and I'm definitely sure my wool can't stand up to blades that sharp with the way it's easily piercing the ground. "Uh...um..." I started panicking and jumping about in place until I noticed that it left the case unguarded. I sprinted as fast as I could to the case and picked it up with surprising ease...I thought it would be heavier than this, but that's not something I should be wondering about right now! The mantis had approached Falcom and started winding its arm back for a massive attack, I don't think I'll be able to get to her in time...unless... "Falcom! Catch!" I threw the case with all my might at her in hopes she'd catch it and free herself in time.

"Kshhhh-SKREEEEEEEEEE!"

"...Oops!" The case had crashed into the back of the monsters head and went flying high into the air. It was temporarily stunned and dropped its claw for a moment before turning back at me with it's single beady eye glowing a bright red. "Oh goodness me!" It lowered itself to the ground and charged at me with its claws spread out, making sure I couldn't move to the sides.

"Jump!"

I jumped without thinking and almost made it completely over attack, but I think it tried to keep track of me and moved it's head up with me, hitting my foot by accident and throwing me off course. I spiraled out of control a little and grabbed for the nearest thing I could, which I think I might regret in the long run... "Aaah!" My body slammed into the back of the mantis and I wrapped my arms around what I hope is its neck. I looked back to see Falcom if she was making any progress in freeing herself, and it seemed like she was almost done cutting herself free with a bright sword...so that's what Histoire had given her.

"That a girl Nepgear! Keep it busy, I'm almost done!"

The mantis turned back to face Falcom and tried to charge again, but I summoned all my strength and started moving myself side to side in hopes that I could throw it off course. "Kshksh! Ssssss..." It stopped in its tracks and thrashed about in order to shake me off, but I kept my hold as best as I could on it as it started panicking.

"Fal-oof! Com-ow! Heeeelp!" It picked up its flailing by jumping around and started getting more serious. It even grounded itself by stabbing the ground with its scythes and digging...securing its position as it bucked wildly. My body bounced and slammed into its body violently as it jumped in place trying to throw me off. "Falcoooom!"

I couldn't look back but I think I heard the sound of something ripping nearby. "Nepgear, hold on!"

"I don't-oof! Have a choice!"

Falcom dashed in front of us and held her blade up next to her head facing us and started concentrating. "When I give you the signal you have to get out of the way!" Her sword started giving off a faint glow and I could hear a faint hum coming from it. I think the mantis caught on a little too quickly and tried to pry itself from the ground. In desperation I grabbed its arms and held them down as best as I could and they feel kind of...scrawny actually. I think I can actually keep them down while Falcom charges her sword...although I hope she doesn't cut too high, I don't think dropping off and getting out of the way is an option. "Get ready..."

"KSSSSH! KSSSSSSH!" It was furiously trying to get its claws out of the ground and began making a little progress as Falcom takes an aggressive stance.

"Now!"

I couldn't jump down and risk having the mantis get out of the ground. "Hup!" I put all my focus into my next motion as I lift my body straight up, and hold myself upside down right above the mantis. My vision was blocked for the most part but I caught a glimpse of an orange blur swing out in what I think might've been a full circular motion. The air fills with the sounds of high pitched shrieking as the mantis writhes and slumps, dissolving into the grass and leaving behind a red stain. I lower my body and touch down to the ground and get a clearer look at the mess. It looks like...fake blood?

This is strange...even though it died and faded away its claws were unharmed and were able to support me. "Oh hey, I've still got it!" Falcom had come over to inspect her handiwork personally. "I did my best to not cut those because you were kind of using them, but I'm surprised they didn't disappear along with it." She circled the lonely blades and poked at them until one of them dislodged and fell to its side. "Hm...they're surprisingly sturdy. Shame they were attached to something that could hardly lift them." She paused and scratched her chin a little, putting together her next choice of words. "Do we...do we eat them?" It sounds as if she's already come to terms with her new condition.

"Are you all right Falcom?"

"Hm?"

"You don't seem to bothered about the whole...you know..." I point at my neck and pretend like I pulled off my head. How do I say becoming headless without it sounding strange or maybe...offensive?

"Oh...that." She picked up the fallen blade by its stub and tried to wield it while casually answering the question. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't terrified by the idea of my head popping off, but it's not so bad now that I've calmed down. I've fought maybe one or two undead that had the same...condition as me and they were pretty powerful. Dullahans I think they were called..." She stabbed the blade next to the other and shook her head. "Anyway, as long as I'm able to focus on what I do best and continue to get stronger I think I can manage. Shame about the Romancia name though..." She looked at me with a smile and went to put her weapon away.

Now that I got a good look at it, that sword is pretty intimidating. Its blade was a deep orange with a red design starting around the middle and headed straight down the middle to the hilt. The hilt itself looked it was made from the bones of what I assume was a dragon, with its claws still intact and spreading out at the base. It even had a small dragon head facing away on both sides of it as well. "Hm?" I didn't quite catch what she was talking about, I was too busy admiring her gift before it went back into its case...I almost miss my own sword now that I think about it.

"Oh, being the eldest daughter it was assumed that I would...help carry on our bloodline. Since this curse kicked in and my sisters are unable to carry on the name, I guess the line ends with me. I was never interested in that kind of thing anyway." She shrugged and started heading in the direction of Underling and motioned for me to follow her.

"I don't want to sound like I'm butting in, but you don't seem to be broken up about that." I point out as I take her hand and start making our way to Erethisan. "Wait, you said your sisters are unable to, does that mean-"

"I'm not going to worry about it, so you shouldn't either. Now come on, we can't afford to lose Underling!" She tightened her grip and sped up, guiding me through the trees and brush with alarming speed while avoiding monsters. "Besides, now that I'm like you I'll need your help to show me the ropes and how to be a better monster girl!"

After only a few minutes of running we made it to the edge of the forest where a short pier waited with a small sturdy looking boat tied to it. We ran to the edge of the pier and did our best to look into the distance to see how far Underling had gotten, and we could barely see her on the calm horizon as she approached the island where Erethisan was, on what looked like a bright red and yellow raft. "Goodness she's resourceful!" I turned around and saw Falcom already at work untying the boat from its anchor.

"Hop in Nepgear, we can't to waste any time."

I hopped in without hesitation and waited patiently for us to set sail. Something told me this was a bad idea though. "Wait a minute..." I just realized something that made my heart skip a beat. "...didn't you say that your adventures started off with bad things happening to you on a boat?"

"...maybe. I mean, my boat rides usually end up in wrecks, but you're here so maybe my bad luck won't kick in this time and I can make a return trip in the same ride for once." She casually laughed as she untied the rope and shoved us out to sea.

"I can barely swim! I-I'll wait at the shoreline for you to bring back Underling or something, you seem like you'd be able to take her by yourself anyway!" I reached out for anything solid but the pier was just out of reach, we were already doomed...

"It'll be ok, I've been in enough sea related disasters for the both of us. If anything happens I've got you covered, I know mouth to mouth!" She kept up her cheery attitude as she put the sail down, increasing our speed. "Oh hey, I didn't notice those scary looking clouds coming in until just now...hm, it's probably nothing."

"That's not something...you should...uh oh..." I looked up and saw the dark menacing clouds rolling in from Erethisan's direction, thunder sounding off in the distance. "Oh goodness I'm going to be lost at sea!"


	20. Nearing the Eye

_I think I've managed to get myself out of this personal rut as soon as I got in it. Explanations aside I've boosted my own morale by spreading out to my other writings. I'd call them projects but they don't last nearly as long as this, but that's besides the point. I'm currently waiting for a friend to finish up something before I post a little side thing I wrote for 5pb, and I'm in the works of finishing up something cute and happy for Vert and Blanc, because lately I've decided to focus on cute things, and 5pb came to mind first. Although I won't lie, I've been wanting to write this for a long time, but never had a chance to and she needs more love. Anyway, a few more hiccups as I dig out of the hole I've put myself but I hope you enjoy what's to come._

_Some Random Tosser- She's become a Dullahan basically. I thought about other options and decided that this would be a good choice and has potential for interesting things later down the line, like learning how to take advantage of her condition.  
_

* * *

"Oh my goodness we made it just in time!" We docked at the pier just in time as thunder boomed all around us and lightning crackled throughout the sky. My excitement got the better of me as I leapt out of the boat and threw myself onto the sand, rolling around while getting a little sand in my wool.

"That was probably the most uneventful boat ride I've ever had. You really did balance out my luck!" Falcom shouted over the thunder as she securely tightens the boat to one of the pier supports, but as soon as she stepped off the pier the nearby waters started crashing at us violently. It was as if an unseen force was at work and started throwing the boat violently against the pier until it shattering it into a countless splinters in spite of her comment...and carried them away from us by sea. "...at least we have the rope, right?"

I stood and shielded myself just in case any debris came flying in our direction as Falcom calmly walked by and put a hand on my shoulder. "We're all right, Nepgear. If there's anything I've learned in all the near disasters I've been in, is that when a new journey begins the first few or so are harmless no matter how big they are...for the most part." With her case in tow she calmly heads toward the wooden, man-made staircase that ran along the wall leading to higher ground where the city lay. "Let's see if we can get answers from Miss...Underling..." Her voice trailed off when she turned back to look at me and pointed down behind me while trying to hold back laughter. "Pfft! Are those what I think they are?"

I looked directly behind me to see...a large pair of red and yellow pants laid out in the sand. Just the sight of something so silly would've been enough to have me giggling, but the fact that these were Underling's second set of pants made it even funnier, despite the scary weather that's happening around us. I pull out my Neportable with a mischievous thought running through my mind. "It would be a shame if something happened to these, wouldn't it?"

"What are you getting at?"

The pants were slightly moist, but other than that they were good for wear. "Well let's say they got carried away or something by these scary winds and waters...that wouldn't be any good." I lower my device, scan the pants into it and gently put it away while smirking to myself. "So let's do the right thing and make sure they get back to their rightful owner." I don't know why this idea popped into my head all of a sudden, or why I'm getting a giddy feeling doing this...all I know is...this is going to be fun for us, me especially. When did I start getting more like the twins? I can't remember ever wanting to do this before our trip over here. Maybe it has something to do with this nice cut Uni gave me, I've been feeling really good right after that now that I think about it.

"Pretty sneaky Nepgear, didn't know you had it in you." She turned back to the stairs and started going ahead while talking to me. "If we're lucky we can stop by my place for a visit. It's been a while since anyone has been there and I'd love to show you around." She mumbled something else under her breath but the sounds of waves crashing along the shore, coupled with the harsh winds that were picking up made it difficult to hear what she said.

I carefully rushed up behind her as things started to get a little scarier down on the beach. "What was that last part Falcom? I couldn't catch that!" I did my best to shout over all the noises around and grabbed onto her free hand.

"I said I'd love for you to stay over! I think the weather is getting a little too unfriendly and it's probably going to get worse!" Lightning struck near the pier and splintered one of the first supports, leaving it to eventually collapse on itself. "Did I say unfriendly? I meant anything but unfriendly!" Rain started trickling down right after she said that...I think this Falcom might have more than bad luck when the sea is involved.

"Not to sound rude, but I think you should stop talking!" I pull myself closer to her as we get to the top of the staircase and got what would've been a nice view of the city, had the sky not darkened and rain started pouring down on us. The sound of waves and wood crashing together died down as we got to the top, but the rain did more than enough to make sure we wouldn't have a pleasant time entering the city. "How far away is your place Falcom? We'll definitely end up getting sick if we stay out here too long."

She held me tightly and pointed towards what I think was the center of the city. "You'd think with a name like Romancia we'd be big shots or something, right? Well, outside of the various martial arts and mercenary establishments here we're not really important. By ourselves. I mean, it's because of all our places combined keep the city safe and what makes businesses and such thrive. Although our tourist attractions will be nothing like the ones near Leanbox, they have 5pb and we could never compete with her."

Falcom went on to explain how her family, along with others, earned their fame by assisting export and import merchants by teaching them how to take care of themselves or by protecting them as we walked down the empty streets. It sounds like that's how Erethisan got its start out on this lonely island. I can't imagine how else they could get this big without help from the mainland, considering what little I saw on the way up the steps seemed to be mostly dry and barren land. She seemed pretty happy to have someone to talk to even in all this rain, and the way she held me was...a little too comforting at times, but she was doing her best to shield me from the increasingly cold rain. As much as she tried to keep me warm I couldn't keep from shivering...not that it would've helped because she's pretty cold herself, but I can't bring myself to tell her that...

"We're almost there, just a few more blocks and we'll be there."

"G-good...my legs are starting to feel..."

"Nepgear!"

I couldn't even finish my sentence before my legs gave out from under me. "I'm alright..." I brought us to a complete stop as I struggled to be back on my feet but I couldn't muster the strength to do so. "I guess a little rain got the best of me, huh Falcoooom!?"

She literally swept me off my feet and into her arms while picking up the pace. The look of determination on her face made me forget about my weak knees and a strange sensation stirred within me as we went past a few more corners, and came up to a very cozy looking house that was lined up with several others. "Could you open the door? I'm pretty sure it's unlocked." I had no trouble lifting my arms and she was right, the door popped right open with no trouble and she carried me inside sideways. "Ha, you'd think we were newlyweds or something walking in here like this, right?" She said that jokingly but with the way she smiled at me it felt as if she was a little serious about that, and my heart skipped a beat.

I could only manage to nod, although being under a roof is already a huge improvement to my condition, but I'm still shivering quite a bit. "It's so q-quiet in here Falcom. Wh-where's everyone else?"

"Everybody's...out right now." Her voice cracked a little as she closed the door behind us and took me into what I assume was her room. Thanks to the weather everything was mostly dim, but I could see little porcelain dolls lined up on the dressers that bordered the room when lightning struck. "I'll be back in a second, I'm going to find something to dry you off with." I grabbed onto her shoulders for a moment as she pulls her thick comforter back and sits me down gently before leaving the room. I can see why Falcom became an adventurer, all these dolls and things may have been too much for even me growing up. I think she may have been pressured into becoming too good of a girl and she just wanted to be herself...or maybe I'm just thinking too much on something that isn't my business at all.

Before I could call out to Falcom she was already back with a heavy looking towel with a smile on her face. I braced myself as she playfully threw the towel on top of me and aggressively dried me off as she giggled to herself. "You're having..." I resist her playing around a little and pop my head through a small opening she left exposed. "...a little too much fun with this I think." I probably shouldn't bother her about her family business anymore, she's seems to be doing her best to avoid talking about it. I'll wait until she's ready to tell me...whenever that is.

"I can't help myself, you've helped me out a ton and I want to do everything I can to return the favor." She brought up a chair and sat down directly in front of me to get comfy herself. "I vaguely remember you cradling me to sleep after we took down Underling's contraption. I try not to think about it too much, but that was the first time in a long while that I've been able to sleep." She put a hand to her chest and looked at me as if she was going to cry. "Even though that was a really bad time for me, I like to think how you were able to save me, in more ways than one. Ever since I got this ring on my neck I haven't been able to rest at all. There's something that's bothering me as well, but I'd like to make sure it's a problem before I actually bring it up. Please make yourself comfy and get some sleep."

"What about you? Shouldn't you dry yourself off as well?" I'm not one to pass up a chance to sleep, and this bed is much bigger and softer than I imagined. I pull the sheets back up to my neck and burrow myself in the bed itself...Neptune would have a ball bouncing all over this if she was solid.

"Oh, I'm fine. Although I was hoping I could ask you something else before I went to lock up everything first. If that's alright with you, of course." She put her other hand on her chest and looked down at her knees to take a deep breath. "Nepgear..." She paused and it looked as if she was mumbling something to herself. "...nothing. Nevermind. I'll go lock up now." She stood up so fast she bumped the chair back a little bit and rushed out of the room.

I could hear her footsteps trailing farther away as I get comfortable in the queen size bed. The sound of a door locking in the distance is the last thing I hear before shutting my eyes and seeing Falcom heading back in my direction nervously.


	21. Not a Creature Was Stirring

_Who would've thought that taking things slower makes things better? It gives me a few more days to jot down my ideas and helps me keep things going at a less rockier pace. I used to stress about meeting my own deadlines, but as long as I don't stop completely that shouldn't be a problem. That's the last thing I want to do concerning any writing because outside of well, games, it's the next thing I like doing. It's just a matter of coming up with scenarios and the like for side stories and stuff._

_SRT - Unfortunately no mount for Falcom. She'll develop some interesting things further down the line, like staying in control of her body for one. There are so many things that can go wrong when you wander off without...yourself.  
_

_Kuroi-Yasha - Without Uni around Falcom may attempt to get a little closer to Nepgear, but trying to get a Planeptune's CPU attention is a feat in itself. With a new look and a slightly more adventurous attitude something may end up happening, but don't count on Nepgear to think too much about it...for now.  
_

* * *

"Psst! Nepgear!"

"Mmm... Not now Falcom. Give me a few more hours, your bed is soooo nice. I don't ever want to leave it..." I mumbled sleepily as I readjusted myself...and it felt like I bumped the back of my head on something.

"As much as I would like that for that to happen, I've got a huge personal problem that needs to be taken care of." She sounds awfully close to me...really close actually.

"Mmm, that's nice Falcom, I'll take care of it in the morning..." I scooted myself towards the center of the bed again and I felt light breathing down my neck.

"You've left me no choice." Did she somehow slip into the bed behind me? I can't blame her since this bed is really comfortable. She did say I helped her get to sleep when she had so much trouble doing so before, so maybe she just wanted a nap too. It was really nice of her to not wake me up to ask, I'm more than happy to help her out with whatever she needs. "Please forgive me Nepgear, but this is seems to be the only way to wake you up. To think I would need to do this so soon..."

I heard her take a deep breath and then gasp a little as...her lips clamp down on the corner of my shoulder and neck! I stumbled out of bed trying to fight back the powerful tickling sensation that began to flow down my entire body. "F-F-Falcom! Goodness!" I tried to reach up and pull her off but she had readjusted herself in such a way that sent a tingling feeling down my spine, making me lose control of my arms while my back arched. "Aaah!~" I powered through all my shuddering and successfully pulled her off of me.

"I said in advance I was sorry Nepgear, but it was the only way to get you to wake up. I've lost track of my body and I can't imagine where it might've wandered off to." She was blushing and nearly in tears as her head wiggled around in my hands.

"What?" I turned around to see that her body was in fact missing, but the sheets were also a mess on the other side. I make my over on the other side and sure enough her lay there, nicely curled up in the sheets. "Aw Falcom, you kind of look cute all sprawled out sleepily down there...I think."

"D-don't give me that! Please put my head back on!" She tried to rock herself toward...herself but my grip was a little too firm and all she could manage was look adorable squirming in my hands. I think that says a lot when I find a headless friend not scary in the slightest...I hope this means I'm ready for whatever else comes my way.

"Let's just pull these covers off of you and..."

"...and what Nepgear? What? Don't trail off like that all of sudden."

I put her head on the bed facing away and propped her body up. There's nothing out of the ordinary but the way she's panicking practically begs for me to tease her a little. If only she waited for me to finish what I was going to say then this urge wouldn't have suddenly come up...but I bet this will be a little fun. "Oh goodness Falcom, your shirt seems to have come undone a little."

"What!? D-don't look at me!" Her head rocked back and forth as I fooled around with the sheets to make it sound like I was really going at it. "What are you doing!?"

"Nothing~..." As tempted as I was to actually loosen her straps a little more, I couldn't bring myself to go all the way, she'd probably faint. Besides, I've already propped her on the side of the bed and was just teasing her a little bit. Wait, how exactly is this going to work? If I put her head on her sleeping body, would her body wake up or would she fall asleep? "Hey Falcom, um...I think your body is still sleeping. Are you a heavy sleeper by any chance?"

"I've been told that a few times. Why? What does it-" I think she realized just now that I was really teasing until now, I may have to actually fool around with her to wake her up. "No, you wouldn't! Anything but that! I've got control over my body, see?" She struggled as hard she could and only managed to tip herself over. "No no no... It wasn't suppose to happen like this..."

The most I could is help her sit back upright and face her toward me and the rest of her. "I'm sorry it has to come down to this. Would you rather risk falling asleep or do you want to stay awake and-"

"D-don't make me watch!" Falcom sounded extremely embarrassed as I got into position to try to wake her up. She's still pretty cold but I think I can endure it if it means getting her moving again. What exactly does she think I'm going to do? "Just...be gentle with me ok?"

"Mhm..." I was already getting a firm grip on her waist as she said that, and started stroking her sides with a little vigor to keep my hands warm as I try to figure out my next move. I ease my hands up and down when her body jumps a bit and slumps to the side a little. "You wouldn't happen to be ticklish anywhere would you?" Her body reacted more and more up until I got near her armpits, when her whole body jumped again nearly knocking me off of her as she lurched back into the bed. That's a much bigger reaction than when I try to wake up Neptune when she sleeps in, and she's can be slightly on the moody side if woken up improperly. I think I found a sweet spot...

"Ah no!" I made my way up her body and got a few seconds of tickling under her armpits before she pushed me away and frantically searched the bed for her head. The second she put her head on she went into a fit of laughter and doubled over on her side holding herself as her face turned a deep red. "Aha! Nepgear, what have-ahaha! Haha, you done! Please, I need a moment to myself...to catch my breath of all things..."

"It was the only-"

"P-please!"

I nod and leave immediately for her sake...I guess I could explore the house a little, I've been curious as to why she chose her own room instead of the master bedroom or something. Well let's see; there are two rooms next to Falcom's, another at the very end of the hall, and a door on our end of the hallway. "Oh...it's only the bathroom." I left that door open to try the one right next to Falcom's room and then the one next to that, but they were locked. "I should've known these would've been locked. Wonder what's behind the final door..."

Going up and down this hallway made me realize that it's much longer than I thought it was when I first peeked my head out the door. "Hm?" The door at the end farthest from Falcom is already opened a nudge...I wonder what's inside.

I try to open the door silently but it creaks so loudly I think the entire house heard it. This has to be her parents room, it's noticeably bigger and...something in here was giving off a faint light. Ah, there was a dimly lit lamp sitting on a nightstand near the head of the huge bed in front of me, and the curtains were drawn to block out what little light that tried to get through the stormy clouds. I could barely make out the rest of the room when someone grunted and started moving around in the bed.

"Ngh..." I dropped to all fours and quickly crawled my way to the foot of the bed, and worked my way under it. Curiosity got the better of me and diving under the bed was the only thing I could think of at the moment I bet I looked pretty sill scrambling under here. That couldn't have been her father or mother though, I'm sure they're not here and these grunts sound too...young. "I think that was a long enough nap, hopefully those two girls didn't get too hurt by that bug I made." Is that...Underling? There she goes again with the not being mean act...is she really a nice girl here? "I really didn't want to send something so big and mean at them, but I can't afford to screw up, not with the boss lady counting on me. It's a shame they had to go and break that shoddy golem too, I wouldn't have to had make something so dangerous." She jumped out of bed with a clack as her toenails hit the floor. "That red head with the sheepgirl...I can't believe how strong she is. While I want to say it was a good idea to attack her the way I did, I wish I didn't. Orders are orders though, so if I have to keep up the tough act to stop people from interfering, that's how it's going to be." She walked off to the curtains, dragging her tail behind her and took a brief look outside and leaned on the window sill with a sigh. "That sheepgirl looked nice too, hopefully she didn't get a good look at me. If she doesn't recognize me this might be my only chance to make a friend that's...like me. Ugh...this work is getting old...and all of it is for such a petty reason."

So Underling is in fact working for some 'boss lady', but she doesn't sound to thrilled about it. She must be in too deep or owes her something big if she's forced to do this kind of work. I hope Falcom is doing ok though, she got real quiet after I headed down here and the last thing she needs is having Underling find her with her guard down again.

"Ugh, had I known it was going to rain I would've brought my pants in here to dry. I bet they're drenched or got caught up in the tide or worse. Aagh! I bet I'll get sick if I walk around like this too...not that I'd walk around in these shorts by themselves anyway..." She turned around and let herself slump to the ground on her rear as she pulled her knees up and curled up into a little ball. "Whose place is this anyway?"

"Nepgear! Where are you?" Falcom's voice rang out from further down the hallway, alerting Underling to her presence.

"Ah! I can't let her know I'm here but I don't want to get in the rain either! Hm, anything beats what boss lady will do to me." She stood straight up in an instant and opened the window in a panic. "Looks like I'll have to cheese it! Wait...what's with that funky blue string?" She fell backwards out of the window with bright, blue glowing strings wrapped around her ankles and wrists. "Gh! Get...get off of me!"

As I crawled out from under the bed to help Underling, Falcom came barging into the room. "What in the world is all this commotion!?"

"Nevermind that, we have to help her out!" I grabbed hold of one of the strings that had bound her, but I was met with a weird, burning sensation and pulled back immediately. "Gaah!"

Falcom dove forward and tried to make a grab for the strings as well, but they pulled Underling up and dangled her in front of us. I didn't notice before but the source of these strings floated above us, two pairs of planks lined crossover each other that dangled a now unconscious Underling in front of, before whisking her out the window. "I swear I recognized that girl from somewhere. How did she even get in here?"

That's right, Falcom did get a quick look at Underling before her...breakdown. That's still hard to think about, I thought she was definitely...no, that was then, this is now. "I'll explain later, we need to help her out before it's too late!" I jumped out the window with Falcom right behind me as we chase down the doll-like Underling.


	22. Free Admission

_We're nearing the climactic finale, where Nepgear and Falcom are getting closer and closer to the force that snatched Underling up. That may explain why Erethisan City is so abnormally quiet as well..._

_SRT - Not a Trick in sight, fortunately for some people. These girls are far too old for his refined tastes in females, he'd be far too busy going after the Lowee twins...if he could find them, but that's not saying what he's doing currently of course. As for a little hint though, this force is native to Planeptune, in the same sense as Underlings "little" Grass Assassin.  
_

_mega-dark - It's alright, I'm just glad you're willing to review and read everything. Some girls have a higher tolerance for teasing than others, let's just hope Falcom can keep herself under control...unless she wants to deal with Uni. Emotions aside, her body is weird like that and may end up taking on a mind of its own if she loses too much focus. While Underling may be a ra-er, mouse, she still has some good in her. A job's a job._

* * *

We ran as hard and fast as we could after the captured Underling, but she was slowly pulling away as the strings attached to her masterfully weaved between buildings and trees. "Snap out of it Underling!" I call out futilely to her but she was still under her captor's trance. "Underling!" She sped up and flew down the street towards an old looking building with boarded up windows. The small planks that were supporting the strings floated down behind her and planted itself on the wall and began expanding with a eerie blue flame. She floated into the large burning x that was now glowing on wall and passed through. We tried going through ourselves but there was some invisible force that bounced us backwards, forcing us to watch as the hole magically closed itself up.

"Of all the places this girl had to be taken to." Falcom ran up to wall again and slammed her fist against it. "I can't believe this old theater is still..." She hit the wall again and headed towards the door while keeping what she was going to say next to herself.

"Still what?"

"Nothing..."

"Falcom please..."

She sighed, stopped just short of the entrance, and turned back to me and leaned against the wall. "I'll be honest with you, the deep sea fishing incident was my first real adventure. Back when my sisters and I were younger, we heard rumors about this old theater being haunted and it was my idea to explore it. I didn't really believe what the adults said so I didn't think much of it, and insisted on exploring this place. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary, or at least that was the case up until we started leaving. I don't remember exactly what it was we encountered, but there were screams, a flash of light and that was that." She got up and went for the door, but it was closed shut and didn't even budge as she tried to open it.

A traumatic experience with her younger siblings in a place like this...could this be why she's the way she is? Why she worries so much about her siblings? I wouldn't dare bring that up though, I can't have her thinking too much about it. "Hm...so maybe that blue glow you saw back then is the same as this?"

"I wouldn't be surprised, our father...no, a lot of people scolded us for even setting foot in here. Back then I thought it was a little crazy that so many of our friends and family would get mad at us for going into a busted old place, but looking back we probably woke something up. Which makes me wonder..." She kicked the door and sent herself flying back a little bit. "Anyway, we need to get in here and save that girl. Underling, was it? That's an odd name."

She signaled for me to come with her as she left the door. There's probably a side entrance or some other way that she knows about... The moment we turned around though, the door opened on its own and released a white mist along the ground. "Um, Falcom, if your adventures are anything to go by, whoever is behind this is practically inviting us in now. Or am I getting ahead of myself?"

"No, you're probably right. Something definitely wants to us to go in through the front, and we don't have much of a choice. The other entrances are probably sealed off. Be on your guard." She got her case ready as she led the way into the old theater. Yet another area that was cold and had an uncomfortable feel to it...if it wasn't for my wool I don't think I'd be able to take it. "Stick close..." She withdrew her sword and put her case aside to take a defensive stance as we went farther down the aisle.

"Are these...people?" I was so busy making sure I stayed warm that I barely noticed all the bodies silently sitting still in I think most of the seats in this place. The way they all sat straight up facing the stage was creepy beyond words, and I wasn't going to run the risk of investigating them any closer. "Do you recognize anyone Falcom?" Goodness, that may have been a horrible question...

"Yeah, we've walked by a few people I know. I'm a little more worried as to how many are here or how long things have been like this. Maybe I've been gone too long..." The moment she said that the stage lit up, with all the spotlights focused in the center where a young girl appeared. "Isn't that the Underling girl we're after?"

That was definitely Underling sitting on her knees with her head hanging low at the center of the stage. One of the lights went towards the left side of the stage, and a young girl that seemed about my age came dangling out, like a walking puppet with similar blue strings. She approached Underling and looked like she started speaking with her, but no words could be heard. It looked like this mysterious girl was trying to help Underling up, but was interrupted by two young men who immediately started laughing at the girls. The girl that was leaning down looked at the men, back to Underling, and then walked to the men and reluctantly started joining in on the teasing.

"That's horrible..." Falcom whispered as we came to a stop about halfway down the aisle. "...I think she's really crying up there." Even with her blank stare tears rolled down her face, and was forced to wipe them away as the girl and men were dragged off stage by the strings with the spotlight following them. It dimmed for a moment and followed a new person draped in a dark purple cloak that slowly approached Underling and extended her hand. Underling slowly took her hand and knelt down as the scenery changed to a more forest-like environment with fake bushes and trees. A real Dogoo came from the other side of the stage and bounced its way towards Underling and who I can only assume is the 'boss lady'. I couldn't help but to lunge forward to try and stop it but Falcom held me back. "We don't want to interrupt...not yet anyway. Nothing terrible has happened..."

While Falcom stopped me the Dogoo had gotten dangerously close to Underling, and the cloaked woman pointed at it. The monster waited patiently as Underling turned around and gave it a gentle kick and barely sent it away. She was scolded by the woman and was forced to attack it again, this time cautiously slashing at it with her nails, making it spin a little and then lying motionless in front of her. She started trembling before she was scolded again by the cloaked woman. This woman is...so cruel to make her do something like that! How could-

"Your phone is ringing! You better pick it up before I hang up! Your phone is ringing!" Uni's voice suddenly started blaring out from me and was accompanied by tingling vibrations on my neck. "You better pick it up before I hang up!" What the goodness is happening to my choker!? The accessory Uni gave me before she left was ringing loudly, shattering the silence in the area like glass.

"Ah no, not now!" I felt around on the AzureFang and tried to stop it from causing a racket but I think I may have accidentally answered it instead.

I could barely hear Uni excitedly on the other end of the call. "Yay, you answered! Hey Gear, what's-"

"Sorry Uni, you picked a bad time to call!" After a few more button pushes on the device it finally went silent. Although I was too late to stop as Underling and the woman stopped to look at us. "Ehehe...um, carry on?"

In one loud motion the entire audience's attention was directed towards us. I could feel the stares of almost everyone in the room, and a pair of spotlights quickly focused on us, beaming down a warm but menacing light. "Nepgear, get ready to split up..."

"Whe-"

"Now!" Falcom jumped on top of the seats and gracefully ran to right, making sure to not actually hurt any of the audience members with one of the spotlights trying to keep track of her. The more I stood still the more it felt like the focus from the light intensified and it was getting hot dangerously fast. I climbed up on the nearest seat and did my best to maneuver past the heads of the seemingly lifeless audience that kept watching us, but with the pressure of the light chasing I had to rush.

"Excuse me! Sorry! M-moving through!"

"Keep quiet and keep moving!" Falcom was doing a fine job of leaping from seat to seat, dodging heads and making it to the aisle on the other side. I clumsily fell into the aisle opposite of her and got up before I noticed the puppeteer controllers looming behind her. Why didn't I realize what these were before?

"Behind you Falcom!"

My warning came a little too late as strings came shooting out of the planks, wrapping around her arms and then lifting her to get her legs as well. "Ne...p...ge..." Falcoms cry faded as her head hung low and was being lifted towards the stage near the Dogoo while the cloaked woman got pulled off stage.

"Falc-ngh!" I climbed over one of the seats without any regard to who was sitting in it and started running right for Falcom, but one of the puppeteer controls got the jump on me and latched onto my arms. "I...can't...ngh...give up!" Ignoring the light burning sensation I resisted with all my might and barely slipped away from the string, but it quickly wrapped back around my arm and pulled back with an even stronger force. My other arm and legs were quickly bound as well and I was lifted towards the stage next to a nearly unconscious Falcom. "You've got to fight it Falcom! Stay awake!"

She was barely moving but my words seemed to have gotten through to her...she's still fighting on the inside! "N...N...ep..." I strained my body and fought against the strings attached to me in order to shake Falcom awake, but a shadow loomed from above us and the grip on the strings got stronger. I looked up to see another cloaked figure float down from above and land in front of us, but it didn't have strings and wore a strange white mask that bore no features with the exceptions of small holes for eyes.

"More actors for the play...excellent..."


	23. Curtain Call

_Good thing I double checked things, I was about to get ahead of myself with posting the aftermath of this encounter first. That could've been disastrous but crisis averted. I guess this is what I get for getting wrapped up in numerous things in real life and stuff, but I did hold off on this chapter because it'll mark the two month spot of posting Mon Nepu. Which at the rate I think it's going will be going on for a bit, because even without the main plot there's still plenty of fun to be had with what's to come. Then there's the option of V dimension...but I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll do my best to keep things up to speed while I take care of these real life things. Anyway, enough ranting, time to throw down._

* * *

This cloaked figure was nothing like the woman that was in this horrible play just now. It had hovered down from the rafters and appeared before Falcom and me, speaking in a hollow voice through its white mask. It had an unsettling cold aura coming from it and produced a white mist similar to what escaped the theater when we first entered. It hovered directly in my face, staying perfectly still aside from the end of its cloak flowing with the mist. Its face leered toward me and even though I could see directly in its mask, I could only see darkness.

"You seem to have difficulty going to sleep. You're proving to be troublesome already..." It swooped behind me and grabbed hold of the planks with a pair of rotten-looking green gloves that emerged from it's cloak. "Be a good lamb and submit to me. I'm sure your stories will be much more interesting than the sob story of that...rat." The voice became a little clearer and I was able to tell this...thing was male, I think, but the way he said rat offended even me and I felt the need to defend Underling.

"She's a mouse! If you're going to talk about someone at least call them by what they are you...you..." I don't know where I was going with my yelling at him, but I refuse to let him insult her after what he's done. "Whatever you are, you need to stop before-"

"Before what? You don't even know what or who I am, and you're going to spout that nonsense at me? I'm going to enjoy going through your deepest thoughts and re-enacting the most painful and humiliating of them all." He pulled the strings and forced me to face the audience as the strings' glow intensified. "You truly are a meddlesome creature. Perhaps...I'll pry into the thoughts of your friend. Yes...that should be enough to drain you of your disobedience."

He shifted his attention to Falcom and began tugging at her strings while he muttered to himself. "This one already carries the contamination from a demon..." His breathing accelerated as a raspy laugh escaped his mask. "...so after all these years you've returned. To think that you would've overcome the mark I've left on you. You're much stronger willed than I thought, I hardly recognized you, young Romancia."

"You!?" I have to delay whatever plan this...demon has planned from Falcom. "You were the one that did this to her?" I gave struggling free another try and even though I caught the demon's attention, it was all in vain as he laughed and slowly started to focus on her.

"But of course. It was the work of I, the Dark Demon, that placed this mark on this woman and her sisters. I am bit surprised she's back so soon, I had high hopes she'd come back a bit more...seasoned." He let out another raspy laugh before explaining more of his work. "They disturbed my rest many years ago and my reward to them was the gift you see coiled around her neck. This trio was destined for great things and I let them go, so they could grow and explore the world, for I am bound to this accursed building. I have grand plans for the other two once they come back...if they come back."

I can't call out for Falcom, no telling what he'll do while floating between us. "So you gave them a useless mark? B-big deal!" He seems like the type to get offended if you don't appreciate his work...from what I gather with this phony audience, I'd expect this need for attention from a spoiled brat at least. I can only hope he takes the bait and goes off on a little rant while I think of a plan. "What good does it do you by giving them a strange curse that shows up years later...and for it to not even work the way you wanted it to!?"

"How dare you question my handiwork!" His voice boomed as the mist rippled in his rage, vanishing for a moment before flowing from his cloak again. "I marked them for the sole purpose of keeping track of their movements. I'm in need of a very large cast and audience, and what better people than the residents that of this city! I would've put more effort into these marks if I had known these girls would've ended up like this. I can hardly sense the other two..."

"You're a sick individual if this is your idea of entertainment!" It may have been my imagination, but I could've sworn I saw Falcom barely glanced at me. "What do you even get out of this?" Wait...is that...that cherry I smell?

"Like you said, it's merely for entertainment! What could be better than acting out one's deepest and darkest secrets for all to see? Even if the audience is a little...dull. Haaaa ha ha..." He turned back to Falcom and began messing with her strings again. "Now, before you start pestering me with your lack of appreciation for the fine arts, I'm going to see what our young star has been up to." He gave the strings a tug, followed by a few more before realizing that his attempts at poking into Falcom's mind were useless. "What's the meaning of this!?"

"You're a hack!" Falcom's head fell off her body as her body sprang to life, performing a rising backward kick as she did a quick handstand flip forward, tearing the string off her hands and legs and knocking off Dark Demon's mask towards the back of the stage. Her head landed on the Dogoo that was left lying there, but she quickly devoured it as she landed and turned around to his cloak, now floating down to floor harmlessly. "Sorry about the slip up Nepgear. I was trying to warn you to watch out but I let my own guard down in the process. I guess having a head case isn't so bad after all." She picked up her head and sword and held them at her side with a smile on her face. "I couldn't catch what the two of you were talking about, but thanks for stalling him."

"Thank goodness you're alright! I was afraid you'd...I'm just glad you're fine." She took a step forward and smashed the puppeteer's control, setting my body free. "Now let's get Underling and the rest of-no!" As I got up I pointed at Dark Demon's cloak, that was now moving along the ground like a living shadow towards the mask. "I think things are about to get serious!"

It sounded like Dark Demon was trying to speak, but all I could make out was very loud wispy noises as if he was shouting. The closer the cloak got to the mask the more we could understand though. "...y...in...erable...wenches!" The cloth swirled around where the mask had landed and continually circled it, making it rise high with an even more eerie glow than the strings he controlled. "This was not in my original plan! How have you altered my curse!?"

Falcom confidently pointed her sword toward Dark Demon while still holding onto her head by her side. "I haven't the foggiest idea about what you're talking about. Altering? Please, I've lived my life without a second thought about my little encounter with you back then, and so have my sisters. I may not know where they are right now, but I'm sure the both of them are off having the time of their life with no intention of falling victim to something like an old nagging spell from a mediocre playwright!"

Dark Demon had finally fully repaired himself and was holding what looked like a small, blue ball of flame that flickered in his hands. "You are trying my patience! I have no need for an insubordinate bit player!"

"I have no need to be part of a play no one's going to see! I hope you don't plan on impressing this audience, I haven't heard a peep out of them since we got in."

By now the flame in his hand had flared at least twice its size and started crackling alongside Dark Demon's rage. "I have had enough of your arrogance! A broken puppet is worthless to me!" He grasped the flame in his hand and slowly hovered toward us, with a single, red dot going back and forth between the eye slots in his mask.

"Come on Nepgear, let's end this quickly and start saving the city folk." The both of us charged at him side by side, Falcom with her orange dragon slayer and me with...my bare fists. If I'm going to keep up with her or anyone else I'm going to have to invest in a weapon for myself. "I'll take the side with the crazy flame. We can't risk you singing that pretty wool of yours."

"Puppet, to my aid!" With a wave of his free hand Underling came dangling in front of him like shield, forcing us to slow down our advance and rethink our strategy. "I expected more from a pair of monsters! Unwilling to fight your own? So be it!" He took the ball of flame and struck down with it like a whip, forcing us to split up in order to avoid the line of blue fire that he created. The fire started just in front of Underling and started to return to Dark Demon slowly...one of us has to get her out of the way before she gets hurt.

I took a sprinter's stance for a brief moment, locked eyes with Falcom and took off as fast as I could towards Dark Demon. Studying the enemies movements...sound advice from Noire comes to mind as I get ready to tackle Underling out of the way. That would've been acceptable advice to follow if there wasn't an unconscious hostage to take into account, but I have to do whatever it takes to keep people out of harm's way. I hope he doesn't have any other means of defending himself... "Hyah! Falcom, you're clear!" I leap with reckless abandon toward Underling, grab hold, and use the force of my entire body to swing us out of the way as Falcom reattached her head and came charging again towards us with her sword forward. He can't keep the only thing slowing us down in front of him and defend himself at the same time, not while still trying to pull in the flame.

"Damnable sheep!" He coiled up the flame in front of him like a makeshift shield in a rush, snapped the strings off Underling to throw us away, and used the puppeteer control planks to reinforce the circular shield of fire he created. Underling and I landed just far enough away, with me breaking her fall, to avoid the power of the impact between Falcom and Dark Demon. The power clashing between the two of them was enough to engulf them in a brief sphere of wavy energy, splintering the stage floor around them a little. "How are you...able to stand up to me!?"

He pushed the shield of fire forward, sending Falcom back with it, before crushing the planks in his hand and making the flames explode. She was able to shield herself with sword just barely and avoided taking too much damage, but her lower body had gotten a noticeably scorched. "Ha! Is that the best you've got? I've dealt with whelpling's that can sneeze hotter fire!" She taunted him as she brandished her sword in a flashy manner, blowing away the little flames didn't make their way back to Dark Demon's hand.

"Nnngh...you're that...sheep girl..." I think our landing may have been a bit too rough as it rocked Underling from her unconsciousness. "What are you-"

"I know you just woke up and might have a few questions, but I'm going to need you to lay low." I thought about using my own brand of sleep on her, but I think she'll do fine without it. I reassured her that everything would be alright before getting up to help Falcom again. "Don't worry about your poofy pants, they're safe and dry with me."

"So is everything settled with the girl?"

"Mhm!" I took a defensive stance and stepped a little farther ahead of Falcom, ready to defend her as best as I could from whatever attack Dark Demon had in store for us. "What's the plan?"

"Well..." Falcom was a little shaky, but her words didn't falter. "...I was thinking we end this before my knees give out. Then we can figure out how to save everyone if defeating this hack isn't enough. Can't say the main plan has changed much..."

I nudge her shoulder and give her a little nod upwards, hoping she catches on to the idea I've got brewing in my head. Neptune always had a knack for coming up with moves on the spot with me in training and actual fights, so maybe this will work out for me...I am her sister after all. We ran forward, with me in the lead, in hopes that this charge would be the defining moment of the battle as the flames returned to Dark Demon's hands, and shot back out in a horizontal line this time that seemed to get bigger as it got closer to us. "Jump!" I tumbled onto the ground and held myself upside down as best as I could while Falcom took the air, so far according to the plan. The second her feet come into contact with mine I springboard her forward, over the widening wall of flame and slam the lower half of my body onto the floor to barely avoid it.

I turned my head to side as the flames passed over me and licked the curly strands of my hair, but I was able to catch a glimpse of Falcom falling over Dark Demon. "Impossible!" He tried to position himself to get away from her, but keeping control of the wall of flame kept him preoccupied.

"Time for your curtain call!" As she fell behind him head first, she swung her sword sideways and knocked his mask clear off of him, but not before a flash of light sent her flying backstage. It was either check on her or do something about that mask before the cloak got back to it...and I think Falcom is more than capable of taking care of herself. Dark Demon's mask went flying near Underling, who had been watching silently this entire time, with the cloak in hot pursuit.

"The mask! Get rid of the mask!" I shouted at her, hoping she was able to react in time to prevent his getting together. She barely managed to stand up, with mask in hand, and threw it at me like a frisbee right above the cloak with amazing speed. It tried reaching up like earlier in a small spiral, but missed and had trouble unwinding itself back into the ground. I caught it and had little time to think of how to deal with the mask...if I damage this enough maybe I can stop this. I don't think smashing it against my horn will be enough, I'm feel too drained and probably can't handle it. There's no telling how hard this thing is but I have to do something! I dropped it to my side, took a deep breath, jumped as high as I could and came down with my elbow aimed directly at the mask. The cloak sped up, as if it could sense what was getting ready to happen next...and I wish I thought this attack through, I should've just stomped on it! Oh this is going to hurt...

I elbow dropped Dark Demon's mask with the weight of my entire body behind it, and heard a sickening crack that came from the mask...and maybe even my arm...it's hard to tell with constant, pulsating pain surging through it. Falcom came crawling from backstage with her eyes barely open and sword in her free hand looking like she was going to tire out. I didn't get a chance to greet her before I was engulfed in the now freezing cloak as it lifted me and the mask up. "I...cannot...believe it..." I fell from the icy whirlwind that formed beneath me and painfully rolled away as Dark Demon's mask gave off a light that revealed more cracks than I thought I made, and shattered in a brilliant flash of blue light.

"Ha...what a drama...queen..." Were the last words I heard from Falcom before I blacked out from the pain shooting through the left side of my body...


	24. A Sweet Deal

_It's that time again, and things will hopefully be slowing down for our young protagonist. I should really stop saying if there will be a slow down in uploads here and there and just go with it, I don't want to set someone's expectations somewhere and not be able to meet them, although right now things are happening and they're taking affect on me slowly. Although the biggest thing would be making sure all my work stays intact because this laptop is getting a little wonky. I'll have to make sure to save these online somewhere just in case, but enough of that worrisome topic._

_Kuroi-Yasha - Yeah, I didn't want the first big boss to be too grand or anything, and I may have done too good of a job keeping it like that. I'd like for big battles like this to scale up in action, although I did like the idea of a puppet master. I've decided to squeeze in a little something from other games based on the current landmass, since this well, I can't say too much. Dark Demon is a little spin on the final boss from Dynamite Headdy, and the thought of puppeteer vs a dullahan got me thinking...shame I didn't make the fight bigger. As for Uni, we'll find out soon enough.  
_

_Endlos Nacht - Glad you enjoyed what you saw.  
_

* * *

"Neptune no! No pudding before dinner!" A sudden sensation shoots through my left arm as I rise up and I clutch it without thinking, sending even more pain through it. "Aah! Goodness me why does that hurt so much!?" The shock of it was so sudden it had me wide awake...wait, isn't this Falcom's bed?

"Nepgear, what's wrong? Is it your arm again?" Falcom came bursting into the room with a worried look on her face. "Do you need more meds? Want me to bring Gust back?" Aah, so many questions! Why is she so concerned about me? The only part of me that's hurting is my arm, she's the one with more noticeable damage done to her with those bandages wrapped around her waist and legs. ...Wait, that's right, she got a little scorched defending herself from Dark Demon...

"Yeah, I woke up the and moved my arm the wrong way. It's not a big problem as long as I'm careful with it. How long have I been out anyway?"

She seated herself on the side of the bed next to me and smiled. "Well, you've been sleeping ever since we beat Dark Demon, so I'd say about a day? Day and a half? It's hard to tell with this gloomy weather we've had to put up with. You've been sleeping soundly until you started shouting about pudding just now." She reached out for my head and patted me a little before getting back up. "You woke up at a good time though, I'm in the middle of making lunch." She got up to leave the room and gave me one last look before heading to where I assume the kitchen is.

"Hm?" Something feels a little off for some reason. I carefully search myself with my right hand and...I think my N-Portable is missing. Did I lose it during the fight or the trip back here or something? I forgot to ask her how we ended up back here, but I guess it can wait until she gets back. "Oh, there it is." I saw it resting on the nightstand next to me and decided to check up on it...I know Underling is up to no good but she doesn't seem to be the type to do bad things of her own will. Especially after we saved her life from being stuck as a puppet being forced to...I should stop thinking about that, what's done is done. "I don't remember making a draft or anything on this..." I tapped the little envelope in the corner of the screen and a message in progress popped up.

'Nepgear, was it? Thanks for saving my tail in the theater. That's about the most you'll get out of me because of my...busy schedule. It's a shame I couldn't speak with you, but my...job has to come first or else. Thanks for keeping my big pants dry as well, I don't know what I'd do without them. For your sake though, please don't follow me anymore. Your red headed friend doesn't seem to recognize me, but please, just let me do my thing. It isn't nearly as bad as what you think it is, I had to use extreme measures when she got involved. Delete this after you're done reading it by the way. Oh, and I'm really sorry about what I did to your friend, but I like I said I didn't have a choice...'

She wants me to stop following her? I can't do that even if I wanted to, if she's being forced to do no good I have to stop her whether she likes it or not. I throw off the covers to get up and stretch as Falcom comes in holding a pair of trays with two bowls of steaming hot noodles that are chock full of veggies and little chunks of meat. "I hope this is enough food for you, it's been a while since I've had to cook for someone else." She handed me my tray and sat down next to me and immediately started digging in. I felt a little pain shoot through my arm as I took the tray from her, but I was able to endure it for a nice looking meal. "I don't mind you eating on my bed by the way, dig in."

I think it may have been because I was waking up in a panic, but didn't Falcom say something about Gust when she first came in? "What was that about Gust? You said she was here earlier or something." I took a quick bite of the hot food and...it's beyond delicious! Whatever I was going to say next must not have been terribly important because the sudden burst of flavor that struck me got my full attention. I haven't had hot food cooked for me that tasted like this since...the time Neptune and I got sick and Noire and Uni volunteered to take care of us. Their food was great but paled in comparison to this wonderful concoction though.

"Oh, after Underling carried you all the way back here and said her farewells, our resident Gust decided to pay us a visit. I'm glad she did or else we wouldn't have been patched up as well as we are now." I gave her a nod to assure her I was listening as I scarfed down this amazing meal. "Turns out she was in hiding this entire time hoping the bad 'Mask Man' would leave because it's put a serious hurt on her business. She's so grateful she's letting us in on a little of her surplus...free of charge!" She giggled a little as she finally started digging into her food. How is she able to eat it so calmly when it just...tastes...so...good!

I was a little too focused on her not eating her food as quickly to notice that I was out already. The sound of light tinks as I hit the bottom of the bowl with my utensil made my heart sink a little...I'm still hungry. "So were these ingredients part of her surplus or something?" I asked as I put my tray aside and watch intently as Falcom delicately eats her food. "They were so...go-o-o-od..."

"Gust should be ba-" Her hand stopped just short of taking another bite before looking directly at me. "Did you just bleat?" Falcom looked at her bowl and back to me...oooh I hope she offers me a bite, it'd be rude to ask her I think but it's so good I can hardly stop myself. She could be just as hungry as I am...but she might not be! Oh just hurry up and offer me some more already! She shrugged, turned her attention to her bowl, and slowly led her food into her mouth.

"Aw...no..." I whimpered.

"Aha!" She dropped her food back in her bowl and pointed her finger directly in my face, barely touching the tip of my nose.

I scooted back a little in shock at Falcom's sudden outburst and was left startled and confused. "'Aha' what? What did I do?"

"If you were still hungry you should've said something. Didn't Neptune ever tell you it's rude to stare?" She shook her head after realizing what she said, grabbed her utensil and got another helping as she shot me a mischievous glare. "You could always just a-"

A door slammed open nearby, cutting off Falcom mid sentence and denying me more of her food. She went back to eating her noodles as light footsteps get louder and louder with the sound of rustling in between steps. "Gust is hooooome!"

Falcom grunted to herself as she finished her bowl and set it aside to greet Gust, revealing she didn't have much food left either after all. "Ah Gust, welcome back." She didn't sound too thrilled to see her, but she perked up after helping her with the bags she was carrying around and came back into the room. "So you've decided to take me up on my offer?"

"It is least Gust can do. You save people, therefore you save business." Gust came into the bedroom as well with a smile on her face and she...doesn't look all that different. At all. Well, she might be a little shorter, but this is even less of a change than Histoire and that makes me suspicious. "Moving in with Falcom best idea. Protection and better location for faster sale? Sign Gust up." She helped herself to the space where Falcom was sitting and took a seat. She grabbed a hold of my left arm and gave it a squeeze...but it didn't hurt at all for some reason. "Hm. Wimpy on outside, strong on inside." She jumped back down and started sorting through the bags Falcom had placed off to the side. "Good thing you helped Falcom. A few more weeks and Gust would have been in trouble." A few more weeks!?

"Oh! Speaking of trouble..." Falcom had been staring out the window since she got back, but that word seemed to trigger something in her. She turned and leaned back onto the window sill and began explaining her outburst. "...that Underling girl said she had to get check in with her boss or something back at Modellista Resort. I wanted to deal with her myself but...I couldn't find it in me to even want to hurt her. She was just too...nice and apologized so much that I had to send her away actually. I guess revenge is truly not in me..."

"Where is that exactly?" I wouldn't mind having to go a resort to track down Underling. I'd like to take it easy a little in the next place I go to...not to say that Erethisan is a bad place, it's just the weather hasn't been all that well since we got here. It'll be so nice to see the sun again...

"You go south from Planeptune and head a little east down the winding bridge system that goes to Leanbox. It's a pretty fun place, especially when 5pb is on stage and doing her thing." She sat down next to me and sighed. "You're probably going to want to head there right away, aren't you?" I nodded silently. "Can you do me a favor and...help me get to sleep? I know it's an odd request but I've been awake since yesterday and it'd be a nice parting gift."

"That's not at all odd." We stood up and I pulled the covers back to help Falcom get tucked in, and stroked her hair as I got ready to help her rest. "Is there anything special you want for me to do for you while I...?"

She simply shook her head, moved the covers down a little, and waited for me to do my part. Hm...having her get up wouldn't do her any good when she's about to sleep, and leaning down would only lead me to falling asleep myself...especially in this cozy...no, stay focused! I punched that one bandit asleep back in Kolibri, maybe I can do the same with a gentle touch. I put my hand on her cheek and focused as hard I could on making her sleep with just my wooly bracelet, and seconds later I felt my wrist tingle a little. Falcom's eye started getting droopy and she weakly reached for my hand and tried to speak. "I was...hoping...stay...lon...ger...fluff...hug..."

As Falcom's hand drooped back beside her I quietly got up and tucked her in properly before leaving. I know it's sudden but I have to keep up with Underling, not only to find out for sure what she's up to, but for her sake as well. If she's as kind as she seems when no one is around then I have help her before she gets in over her head. I quietly open the doors leading outside to see a little ray of sun piercing through the gray skies. Looks like the weather will be improving sooner than I thought.

"Waaaait!" Seems as though Gust finished sifting through those large bags and came chasing after me with a pair of even smaller bags; one small cloth bag, and another medium sized bag that looked like it was filled to the brim...but it didn't seem so big in the palm of her large hand anyway. "How were planning on getting off the island?"

I stared blankly at her as that question put a screeching halt to my thoughts. I felt all around myself but I couldn't find that bag of wings IF gave me. Did I leave it back at Planeptune, or lose it during either of those fights? "Um..." I shrugged nervously trying to think of a decent answer but nothing comes to mind.

"What about customers? Er, Gust means people."

I feel a wave of guilt wash over me as I realize I hadn't given the people we saved a second thought. I was too concerned with chasing down Underling that I completely forgot about them. "I'm sorry! It's just-" I panicked as I realized there was no point in trying to justifying my haste. There's no excuse for abandoning people, no matter the situation.

"Gust is busting your lamb-chop." She smiled as I gave her a confused look. "People will be fine. They were audience for a long time, but will recover soon enough." I breathed a sigh of relief as she shoved the pair of bags onto me. "Take Gust's bag of food and warpy wings. Hasty sheep would be in trouble without these."

As soon as she eases up on me I put the bags into the N-Portable, and take out a little wing similar to what IF had in her own special bag. "So this means...everyone will be fine and I can go?"

"Of course. Gust will keep setting up while Falcom rests. Erethisan will return to normal and Gust will be back in business." She started walking back into the house waved good-bye as she closed the door back. "Be sure to tell Gust's friends Gust sent you for special deal!"

I clasp one of the new chimera wings I've gotten and think...about that little tree house Uni brought me to a while ago. I still wonder what the deal with that little getaway is...but that's something I'll have to find out another time. The wing began to glow and worked it's magic as the light enveloped me and sent me flying above the clouds once again. Looks like I'll be paying Vert a visit...hopefully whatever trouble that was stirring in Leanbox has settled down...


	25. Enter 5pb

_Unfortunately I've had to slow things down on my end due to things suddenly coming up. I think it's safe to say that if you think something has next to no chance ruining your mood, it'll ruin your mood. Underestimating the effects of recent events has put a serious damper on progress and a small project I've wanted to write, but thanks to things that shouldn't be mentioned, I've hit a rut that affects writing and it's way past Halloween. It was such a fun idea, but I'm rambling. Here's hoping I get over what ails me and can get back on this._

* * *

If only there was some way for me to achieve this kind of flight whenever I wanted to, I don't think I could ever get tired of this view up here. As I reach as high as the wing takes me, I begin plummeting back down towards...not Planeptune? Wait, I'm going straight down towards a lone tree in the middle of some plains instead of back home. What's going on? I remembered the last time a wing was used and I landed on my rear because I was panicking...I've just got stay calm and land feet first, then worry about how I ended up here. "Much better landing than last time. Oh, this is Uni's little tree house. Why did the wing take me here of all places? Hm...I was thinking of the tree house as I used the wing..."

"Your phone is ri-"

"Aha!" I nearly jabbed my own neck with my finger as I poked the AzureFang, interrupting Uni's custom ringtone for herself. I was just thinking about what she was up to and like magic she calls. "Gotcha Uni!"

"What?" A startled Uni yelped at my exclamation. "Gear, what's been happening over there? You hung up yesterday before I could even say anything."

"That was..." I hesitated for a moment to think about what I was going to next. I don't want to say it was her fault because then she'd feel guilty...well, it was bound to happen anyway so I think I'll just super sugar-coat it. That and it's best if I don't worry her with all the details. "That was right before we got ready to take care of something. Don't worry though, we got through it alright." Hm...maybe I should've let something slip, that sounds a little too vague.

"Well, as long as you're fine I guess I can let it...wait, 'we'? Who's this 'we'?" Oh right...she left before Falcom recovered so she doesn't know...oops.

"Oh, Falcom woke up after you left and wanted to help me out with chasing down Underling and-"

"Who in the world is Underling? What are you doing without me, hm? The second I leave you go out with another girl...to CHASE another girl?" Goodness Uni, I didn't take you for the jealous type, I haven't even explained myself yet! This is honestly a little scary, I better tell her a more about my current mission. I probably won't be done for a while and it's going to take me all over Gamindustri it looks like, I'm sure she'll like the idea of a chance of me visiting her especially after this...whatever this outburst was.

"Calm down Uni, it isn't like that at all. She was the one who organized the bandits at Haneda and I've taken it upon myself to catch up to her and put an end to more damage she might cause." I might as well see if Uni dropped by here since the last time we were visited this little home away from home. I won't be too long since I woke up not too long ago...but it would be nice to put my arm to work, I can't keep favoring for too long. I gotta toughen up!

"Oh, good. I wish I didn't have to deal with matters over here but business is business. We're almost finished though so I may have to track-I mean, assist you when the time comes...unless Falcom is still helping you out..." Her voice trailed off as she tried to hide the fact that she just wanted to be with me on this already exciting adventure.

Maybe the next set of news will cheer her up a bit. "Turns out Erethisan is where Falcom is from, so she's going to stay behind to fix everything up and make sure nothing goes wrong again for a while. I'll probably be traveling solo for a while so I wouldn't mind your company when you get the chance."

"R-really? Good, because I wouldn't have taken no for answer. I refuse to let you have all the fun to yourself...not that I care if you have fun anyway. Look, I've got to go so I'll let you go back to traveling the world...all by your- I'm on the phone, Noire! Geez!" She hung up abruptly and the noise sent a little vibration through my neck, making me reach up to touch it with my right arm.

The feeling in my left arm dulls for a brief moment and stops me from going up any farther up the tree. "I think that's enough climbing for now, I'm not going risk going any higher." As I climb back down I see a small, bright flash jump behind the tree out of view. "Hello?" There doesn't seem to be an answer...was I just imagining things? I finally made it back to the bottom of the tree and quickly jump behind the tree to see nothing. "I could've sworn I saw something..." After a few seconds of no progress on this shiny mystery I give up and start heading southeast.

"E-excuse me..."

A timid voice calls out from behind the tree, stopping me in my tracks as I turn to see nobody once again. "Who's there!?"

"S-sorry! I-I'm a little lost is all, I won't bother you anymore..." Whoever it was they sound like they're about to break down in tears. "I should've listened to Cave..."

"Is that you...5pb?" I could hardly recognize her voice with how quiet she was being. She seems to be really shy or scared, but I suppose being lost would do that to someone. "I'm the one that should be sorry, I shouldn't have scared you."

She gasped and peeked her head around the tree, revealing her large headphones hidden under her long blue hair, and stared at me quizzically with her purple, oscillating eyes. Had I not known normal 5pb I would've never know what was happening with her. Wait, that's not fair to call the other one normal when I can't even see all of this 5pb.

"H-how do you know my name? A-are you one of those stalker people Cave mentioned?" Her sniffling cleared up and she peered around the tree a little more, showing off a very glittery shoulder. "Oh, you're just a little sheep girl." She wiped away her tears and smiled a little, but remained hidden by the tree.

Forgive me 5pb, I don't want to lie to you but I don't want to scare you away either. "Goodness no! I've just heard your music before, and Neptune has a few posters of you at home." Well, it wasn't entirely a lie, both Neptunes do enjoy 5pb's music and have some of her merchandise...actually, I haven't met anyone that hasn't.

"N-N-Neptune? You mean, THE Neptune?" The wavelengths in her eyes starting moving even faster as she cautiously approached me from behind the tree, revealing more of her glimmering skin. The back of her arms, legs, and neck, along with her sides gave off a faint shine that barely reflected sunlight. "Are you her little sister I've heard so much about?" The closer she got to me the more the lines in her eyes moved until she grabbed my hands.

"Yes, I'm Nepgear. I probably should've introduced myself instead of scaring you like that. I'm sor...ry...um, 5pb?"

"Aaah..." Her shaking both of my hands came to a sudden stop as I confirmed I was Neptune's sister. "M-Matriarch's...little sister...ah...ah..." The wavelength in her eyes had slowed down and eventually flat-lined as her grip on my hands release and she silently fell sideways.

"5pb!" I wince as I reach out with my left arm, catching her and nearly falling down myself from the sudden pain. Her shoulder's so smooth that my hand nearly slipped off and forced me to take a step forward to catch her with my other hand. She has a pretty strong scent as well, she smells...like salty water or something that could be found in a perfume shop. "Are you alright? 5pb answer me!"

"Haaah~..."

"5pb!"

She finally blinked, snapped out of her daze, and stared at me with an embarrassed look on her face. "Did I...did I freak out on you?" She whispered. "S-sorry, I just couldn't help myself. The first time I went to Planeptune I was worried I wouldn't meet anyone like Cave or myself. I don't mind humans at all but some of them give me the strangest looks and it gets me a little nervous when I'm not around water. Then I met Neptune and that feeling went away in an instant. She was just so nice to me, she helped set up the concert, let me stay at her place, and was an all around swell girl. You were in your room sleeping most of the time so you probably don't remember me visiting." She picked herself up and bowed hard in apology. "Again, I'm soooo sorry for freaking out on you and being so frightened. I thought you were one of those people, and it was rude of me to assume so."

It sounds like Neptune is pretty popular in this world if she's able to make 5pb faint like this, although she was pretty shy to begin with. "Let's not get crazy with the apologies now, or we'll be here all day. Why are you all the way out here anyway? I thought you lived in Leanbox."

She held her hands behind her back and started rocking back and forth on her heels. "We were on our way to Hero City for a small convention, and Cave told me she'd be going on another one of her extended breaks. Well, this one was longer than usual and I thought I wouldn't get lost looking for her and...I got lost. But hey, I finally get to meet the mysterious Nepgear, Cave will be interested to meet you as well!"

Looks like 5pb is already used to me, she didn't stammer at all while explaining how she ended up here. "We should probably start heading back if you were supposed to be in Hero City, she's probably worried sick." If I remember correctly there should be a bridge system of some type that leads to the island Leanbox is on, if the map Histoire displayed is anything to go by. Is Modellista Resort on the way to Leanbox is or...

"Oh you're right! The sooner I get back the less scolding I get from Cave, let's go!" She grabbed me by the hand and lead me towards...what she thought was the right direction.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I think we should be going in the opposite direction." Even though the sun was high above us I still had a hunch which direction was which...that and the N-Portable has a handy little compass for times like this.

"Oh, oops." She stopped immediately and started walking in another direction that wasn't quite right either.

"Maybe I should be the one to lead us." I grasp her hand firmly to get her to stop, and start walking towards the proper direction down towards Leanbox. It seems as though she has a habit of getting lost, but with how bad her sense of direction is that's not too hard to believe. Maybe it's because...she needs to be where it's nice and cool? The more I hold her hand the more I realize that the reason her skin is so smooth and shiny is because she's partially covered in scales. That has to be it, she's a...lizard girl or something and she's not allowed to travel far without assistance because she needs to stay out of the heat...no, that isn't it. That makes no sense because then concerts would be much tougher to organize for her...ugh, too many possibilities! Hopefully our next destination holds some answers...


	26. Modellista: The Leanbox Exclusive Resort

_I'm really sorry if the chapter before this one was poorly written or organized, I had thought that writing it during...the things that are happening here would help out but it somehow made things worse. It was a huge mistake and I apologize again for not properly editing and re-proofreading. I don't want to come off as preachy or anything, but taking a break from something you like during trying times doesn't help, unless they're directly related. This personal rut has lasted far too long and I need to put an end to it as soon as possible, and the only way to do that is to soldier on and stop waiting for what ails me to stop. That's enough of the depressing nonsense though, was a short venting. Let's get back to cute monster girls doing cute things._

_Str1k3N01r - Ooh, now that's a little something I can't openly discuss. The Gear part that is, I'm completely ok with discussing the other girls for now since they've already been revealed. While I would like to say IF isn't a succubus, and more of a little devil, she does have those tendencies when it comes to Compa. As for 5pb, I wouldn't necessarily say she's a lizard...we'll see shortly what she really is. Feel free to take a guess on Cave and Vert though, I'd like to see what you think.  
_

* * *

"Hmm, how did I even get so far off track..." 5pb broke the long silence that had been hanging over us ever since we left Uni's tree house. I would've expected her to want to ask me all kinds of questions about why I never really got out of the basilicom, but aside from saying I slept a lot, I couldn't say much about that. "Oh right, I swam all the way over here."

"What?" I nearly stumbled forward and turned to get a good look at her, I'm not sure I heard that right. "You...swam!?" I looked her up and down trying to figure out how she pulled that off. She still resembles the slim celebrity from before this monster business from head to toe, minus the the few scales she has now, but I just don't understand. She swam...across the ocean? "How?"

She simply shrugged as she walked past me. "I jumped in the water and started swimming. That's as best as I can expla-oh! Speaking of water, I think we're nearing Modellista Resort!"

I took a few steps forward and stood beside her as we looked down the hill we ended up on top of and admired the view. A cool breeze blows through our hair with a very faint scent of salt...almost like 5pb actually. There were stands as far as the eye could see with people happily milling about. "This reminds me a lot of Rebeat Resort actually, and if this place is built anything like that it'll be a cinch to get through everyone and get you on your way to Hero City. I wouldn't mind getting sidetracked just a little bit though to get some food or something...as long as you're ok with it." I didn't think twice about walking down the small hill, I was too busy looking forward to seeing what kind of snacks and attractions were on this amusement strip.

5pb came jogging down at a brisk pace, and got me to run alongside her as she laughed to herself. "This will be the first time in a long time I've had company that wasn't Cave! Woohoo! ...um, I'm not saying I don't like being around her, just sometimes she can be a little too strict."

After a few moments after we entered we were greeted by very enthusiastic locals. "Ooh, are you two cosplayers?" A young girl that almost reached my chest asked as she and several other people started crowding around us. "You two look so authentic and real!"

"Cosplayers?" I couldn't even properly react to her question before 5pb jumped behind me and grabbed hold of my shoulders tightly. The sight of so many people coming out of nowhere got her so nervous she's shivering...

"Yeah, the girl behind you looks just like that awesome idol lady and you're like a really fluffy...sheep or something!"

A woman pulled herself through the crowd and took the girl by the hand. "Excuse her, she doesn't get to see cosplayers much. I'll admit you two look quite nice. Come on now..." She dragged her off in a hurry and lightly scolded her, making a little path in the crowd for us to walk through.

We excused ourselves as we worked our way past the crowd and waved good-bye, giving 5pb some much needed breathing room. "Do you get like this during concerts?" Normally 5pb would be a little wary around big groups of people, but this was a much worse case than usual. "I'm sure you have a way to get past being bashful in large crowds thing, right?"

"Well, every time I perform I know Cave is around and has my back. That and I usually do my gigs near water." She shrugged as we walked by concession stands that were busy catering to the needs of several tourists. After getting past the initial crowd that tried to swarm us everything doesn't seem so packed. "Hey, mind if we rest for a little while near shore? I think hearing the ocean waves would do wonders for my nerves after that little encounter."

"Of course. It looks like a really long walk from where we're standing anyway." She had already grabbed me by the hand and was leading the way to the shore, passing by several friendly people that waved at us and complimented us on what they thought were costumes. Wow, just being on the sandy beach is enough to start the relaxing process it seems. If only I was any good at finding a nice spot to rest at these places, last time I tried was after that little octopus incident and that wasn't a success. Rom found a spot in a matter of seconds and Ram called me Slowgear all day...it didn't start to feel like torture until Uni and Rom joined...and then they went and told the older sisters and-

"Hey Nepgear! Over here!" I looked all around for the voice that called out to me but I couldn't tell where it was coming from. "Neeeeepgeaaar!" I looked further down the beach and right under a black and blue parasol was IF, and I think Compa was right beside her as well. It was my turn to lead 5pb and I gently pulled her with me towards the vacationing couple. "Crazy seeing you here at this tourist trap. Shouldn't be hunting down that Underling girl?" She just noticed 5pb hiding behind me and her attention focused completely focused on her. "I don't think Uni will appreciate you taking someone else he-wait a minute, is that...?" Without looking she poked Compa in all the right spots, the areas that were covered anyway, and brought her back to life. I mean woke her up! Oh thank goodness I didn't say that out loud.

"Hm?" Compa drowsily rose from her rest and looked at us with a droopy eye. Her bandages were a little loose and exposed a little more skin than usual, barring her two piece chocolate-chip bikini of course. "What's the matter Iffy? Oh, hey Ge-Ge..." Her eye widened while a smile crept along her face. "Is that really-!?" Her bandages snapped to her in an instant as she jumped over IF in a hurry and swiped me away. "Is she really who I think she is Ge-Ge? Hm?"

My head was still spinning from the surprisingly strong blow from Compa, but I did my best to answer her. "Pah! If you're thinking of who I'm thinking you're thinking of, then yes." I coughed up what little sand had gotten in my mouth and tried to figure out what I just said, although Compa seems to have understood me perfectly somehow.

"It really is 5pb!" She squealed in a hushed tone, as she realized she'd bring attention to our peaceful little spot on beach with her excitement. She wrapped her hands up with extra bandages and held 5pb's, doing her best to contain herself. "Ooh! Ooh! I have all your CDs, posters, and-"

"Whoa there Compa, you'll scare her off!" IF poked Compa in the back of her knee in such a way that...she crumpled down and fell back into IF's arms. There must've been an opening that was exposed... "Sorry it had to come to that, but you were getting a little out of line. You'll have to forgive her 5pb, she's just a huge fan. Isn't that right?" She nuzzled their cheeks together, disregarding Compa's sensitivity.

"I-Iffy~..." All she could do was nod her head...at least she looked happy.

"O-oh, well it's always nice to meet a fan." 5pb seemed to have loosen up a bit and sat down next to IF. "Don't worry, I've seen much weirder people at my concerts. Anyway, I take you know Lady Neptune as well?"

I may as well lie down here in the sun and relax while I can, there's hardly any room for me under the shade. As IF explains how she and Compa knows me, I sprawl out to take in as I can until she called for me. "Isn't that right Nepgear?"

"Hm?"

"I said, you can't wait for the next release of the N-Gear, right? Histoire is having several of them made with more functionality, like being able to transfer items between each other over huge distances, like an improved e-mail. Oh, and best of all she's upgrading them so they'll be able to get in contact with other portable devices and not just me! You'll be able to contact almost anyone you've met if they have some decent tech on them." It's not surprising she's excited about that aspect, even in her casual beach wear she's managed to find a way to fit several cell phones into her shorts. If she wasn't wearing that normal bikini top she probably would've found a way to fit another pair of phones into her attire.

"That's nice, but won't that mean I won't have any use for the accessory that Uni gave me?" I reached for it with a worried look on my face, but IF shook her head and continued talking.

"Of course not. Think of it as a private line between two very close friends. I could never take that away from you...and you shouldn't let anyone even suggest that either." She said sternly as she cradled Compa, who had finally recovered and was talking with 5pb in a hushed voice.

"I wasn't going to let you take it away." My heart raced a little at the thought of not being able to talk to Uni whenever I wanted...well, it was more the other way around because I still don't know how to work the AzureFang. "I-I mean, I wouldn't let you, because-"

IF's laughter interrupted my apologetic rewording. "That's what I want to hear more of! Stand up for yourself and Uni, don't let anyone get between either of you. Besides, they won't be ready for another two days or so, you know how Histoire gets when it's time for serious work." I sat up and brushed a little sand out of my hair as IF settled down. "So where are you headed anyway?"

"Well, I heard from Falcom that Underling was going to meet the woman giving her orders here. I'm also going to help 5pb get back to Hero City before the convention she's supposed to be at needs her. That and Cave is going to be worried sick about her."

Compa sat up and leaned on IF's shoulder. "Aw, does that means you're going to leave us already? Enjoying the last day of our vacation with you would be great. Neptune couldn't join because she's running errands and the Black Sisters are busy wrapping up those loose ends in Lastation already. Come on, you can spare another hour or so to lie around with us." She clapped all of a sudden and got a little excited. "Ooh, how about after this we go visit our awesome fortune teller friend! You can probably find out where Underling is, she's good like that."

"You seem awfully happy about meeting up with her. Is she really that reliable?" I've never seen a fortune teller in real life before, this might actually be fun. "If it's ok with 5pb I'd like to ask her some things." That's it! I'll warm her up by asking questions only I know the answer to for a quick test, and then give her the big one and see what she says. Unless...she already knows the reason why I'm giving her the warm-up questions and she gets to my true intentions...and I can't have that just yet, not in front of everyone else.

"Of course it's ok. Maybe I can ask her to make Cave less upset with me for wandering off. Or do fortune tellers not do that?" She laid down to rest as she wondered herself to sleep. I should follow suit as well, sleeping in comfy beds is one thing, but having the nice sun keeping me warm as I drift off is a feeling all in its own. I just wish there was some grass instead of sand here, I have to get it all out again when I wake up...oh well, it's a small price to pay for a sunny nap.

"Don't worry Ge-Ge, I'm wide awake so I'll be sure to wake you and 5pb up after a short while. You're going to love Magiquone's fortunes!"

I was already on my way to a nice nap but there was something about the name Magiquone that had me pause for a moment...but whatever concern it brought up can wait until naptime is over...


	27. A Fortunate Turn of Events?

_I can't apologize enough for the massive delay with this update. From ending drama with the family, for now; catching the plague from my roommates family and literally being incapacitated for several days (the horrors I went through); to a rising and falling morale from the source of my inspiration; and finally the recent assault of blue screens on the laptop and giving me a heart attack. That's no excuse though, as I should've had this stuff saved online and my other computer readily available in case this happened. Again, I'm sorry and I'm truly doing everything I can to get back in the groove of things while still trying to endure the hardships that are nearing me. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and that the quality hasn't fallen too far._

* * *

"Nepgear!"

"Hm?" I slowly rolled over on my stomach and got up to rest on my knees with the voices of IF, Compa, and 5pb all shouting my name. "Wh-what's wrong everyone?" I ask as I let out a little yawn. They sounded like they were in a rush but they were all surrounding me, smiling as if nothing was wrong.

"Isn't this a little excessive Mrs. IF? It shouldn't take all this wake up one person..." 5pb looked at me apologetically and bowed as I rubbed my eyes.

"Nah, when you're dealing with the likes of her you have to go the extra mile. The girl loves her sleep." IF didn't waste any time crawling behind me to help brush the sand out of my hair. "You were doing so well too, I didn't think you'd try to go back to your old sleeping habits. You don't want to fall behind Neptune, do you?"

Fall behind Neptune? Before dozing off I think she did say something about her running errands. I knew something sounded off but I was too concerned with sleep to bother giving it a second thought. "You said she was running errands, right? How often does she do work?" This has to be rarity, the Neptune I know wouldn't give doing chores a second thought...not on her own anyway.

"You live with her Ge-Ge, don't pretend like you don't know." Compa answered as she got on her knees as well and beamed a cheerful smile at 5pb and me. "Then again you were always either asleep or cooped up in your room. Anyway, Nep-Nep likes doing things for people so she sometimes goes out of her way to help them. The only person that isn't crazy about her being super helpfulness is Noire, but I think she's just upset that this means less time she can spend with her."

I can't believe how motivated Neptune sounds. "I'm...a little shocked to hear that. Not saying that I thought she didn't do work, I just didn't think she did so much of it."

IF tugged at my hair as she got what felt like the last of the sand out, and started working on the wool on my back while Compa pretended to sniffle. "Aw, Ge-Ge really is growing up. Maybe that's why Nep-Nep is working so hard lately, can't have the little sis trying to one-up the big one I guess. How goes the de-sanding Iffy?"

She was busy lightly clawing at my back but was able to answer with a slightly annoyed tone. "Maybe I should've brought my brush Compa. This is getting to be a pain in the ass but I'm almost done. Nepgear, next time you're ever going to lie down in something that isn't grass bring a blanket or something, this is torture." With one final, strong pat on my back she gets up to brush herself off and walks a little past the parasol to check out the Modellista strip. "By the way, we gave you an extra half hour because you looked so peaceful. Any longer and we'd have to carry you back to our rental place."

She kept talking but her words were getting more and more muddled...something on IF's back caught my attention. Slowly I got up and quickly brushed my behind off, and silently crept up to her. Just a few a more steps...and..."Got you!"

"Uwah!? Nepgear, wh-what are you doing!?" She pulled away from me and turned around with an extremely embarrassed look on her face. "What the hell are you doing with my wings!?" She dove back under the parasol and wrapped herself up in her jacket. Are they sensitive or something? All I did was give her wings a little rub...her soft, smooth, purple wings...

Compa gasped and comforted IF while scolding me. "Ge-Ge! You know how she gets about her wings." She covered her ears a little and whispered to 5pb and me. "I think they're adorable too but she denies that up and down for some reason. How could you forget something as important as this?"

"I agree, but if she's so self-conscience about it we should probably drop it for now. If it wasn't for Cave I probably never would've left my home." Even 5pb was concerned, and that's saying a lot when she still takes cover when new faces appear. Although, what is it about the water that makes her able to perform in front of legions of fans anyway? The longer I'm with her the more I want to know what water has to do with her keeping her cool.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. They're just so...um..." It's probably better that I change the subject, I don't want to embarrass IF any further and have this come back to haunt me when she has work that needs to be done. What do I change the subject to? Oh, I know! "Aren't we supposed to be heading towards Magic Cone's place?" I know they're probably going to give me a lot of flak for butchering her name.

IF seemed to get a good laugh out of my mispronouncing of their fortune teller friend's name. "Pfft, wow! That was terrible Nepgear, I shouldn't be laughing at that. Magiquone would give you a case of bad luck if she ever heard you say her name like that, and me as well for not correcting you immediately." She snapped out of her panicked state and got up alongside Compa as they rolled up their blankets. "Do you mind carrying the parasol back with us? We'll probably drop by Magiquone's to introduce you two, get a quick fortune telling, and head to our place for a little bit since it's almost time for dinner."

"I'd be happy to help." It's the least I could do after groping her tiny wings the way I did without her consent. I may have even made Compa a little upset with that as well, she's been occasionally shooting me stern looks and I'm afraid this will be a repeat of when I touched her directly. I just hope she's not as quick with doling out punishment, although Uni is no where around and I doubt she'd involve 5pb...ugh, I just need to learn to keep my hands to myself, especially when those two are involved.

As we got our things and started heading farther down the Modellista strip 5pb inched towards me and started speaking. "I think I'll ask what Cave does while she goes on these extended breaks of hers. I know it's none of my business really but I'd just like a hint or something at least, when she goes off I wonder what she's doing or if she'll be back in time for appointments and things." Hm, I shouldn't be surprised 5pb is concerned about Cave, even if she does sound awfully strict. "So what are you going to get um...fortuned Nepgear? Are you going to ask where that girl you're after is?"

Now that she mentioned it...maybe asking where she is would be a waste? The woman Underling answers to is here somewhere and if I find one I should find the other...at least I hope so. "Maybe I'll find out a little something about Uni, although there's nothing I don't already know I'm sure." Unless she's hiding something from me, but she has no reason to do that at all, right? Or maybe I could just find a means of defending myself better, my fists and wool won't be enough for things to come I'm sure.

"How did you end up back here anyway? I could've sworn you were heading north towards that forest, Heimdall I think." IF and Compa slowed down and let us catch up to them. "It's been what, a day or two at most? And where's that Falcom girl?"

We were so excited to be bumping into each other that I didn't even mention how I actually ended up here in the first place. Now would be a good time as any to start talking about how we had to deal with Falcom's new monster status, fighting an artificial bug, braved what could've been a disastrous shipwreck, and ending a demon puppeteer's reign over Erethisan City. "...I've also misplaced your bag of wings IF, sorry about that. Gust gave me a replacement bag and a nice stash of food. I haven't even opened the bag so if you want to try some you're more than welcome to-"

I nearly bumped into IF as she stopped in her tracks and looked at me in disbelief. "Hold my phones! Did you say a Gust 'gave' you something?" I don't understand what she meant 'a' Gust, but is it so hard to believe that even Gust would be willing to give someone something every now and then? The moment I nod she, Compa, and even 5pb jump in front of me with an open hand extended towards me. "Out with it."

"The food?"

"Of course. It's one thing to get something free from a Gust, but to get two things? I'm going to need to see proof of this food...for research. Rumor has it that they keep some of their finer products to themselves until they feel it's ready to be put on their market."

"I can't believe you were holding out on us Ge-Ge!"

"Um...yeah!" We all looked at 5pb in unison. "I...I...didn't want to feel left out?" After an awkward silence IF and Compa both turned their attention back to me as I pulled the bag of soft food that Gust had left me out from my inventory.

Carefully unwrapping the top of the bag revealed something pink and shiny that IF grabbed in a hurry. It wasn't big by any means, but it was a generous glob of...pink jelly I think, that gave off a strong scent of strawberries. Compa and 5pb helped themselves and grabbed an orange and blue one respectively while looking at them and waiting for someone to take the first taste. IF bit a piece of hers first and squirmed in delight. "Is it wrong that I don't want to finish this?" She drooled a little as she spoke and wiped her mouth off, ignoring the fact that her tail was wagging a little.

"Oh Ge-Ge! This orange gel tastes a lot like...an orange! It's tanginess almost makes me feel alive again!" Compa's bandages gave off a faint glow and seemed to tighten as she chewed her piece happily. Are these supposed to be monster snacks or something? They're packing quite the punch to energize Compa like this.

5pb silently finished what I assumed tasted like blueberries and calmly put her hand back out. "Just one isn't enough..." Her eyes were oscillating quickly as they all finished their sample.

"Goodness, all of you are making me want to try a piece." Before I was able to reach inside the bag and get a gel myself someone called to us from nearby.

"IF! Compa! Who're the new girls?" Everyone turned back towards the direction we were heading at the woman who got our attention. She wasn't terribly far away but she was easy to spot with her huge pointy black hat. As we all walked towards her I could see her in a...mystical outfit. Her hat resembled that of a witches that was adorned with a little bramble and large roses with different shades of purple. Her arms were bare from her shoulders down to where she wore long sleeves, with big cuffs at the end of them. "Don't tell me the both of actually kidnapped some girls to call your own?" She laughed and happily greeted both of them while I tried to identify this woman.

"We've though about kidnapping Ge-Ge lately...heehee, just kidding! How are you, Magiquone?"

While the three of them talked amongst themselves I took the time to check out the rest of Magiquone. Her clothes were black all over with the exception of gold designs on her skirt and legs, while leaving...very little to the imagination. How does she even put on something so...so confining!? The shirt she wore barely went above her chest and exposed her pale skin in a V shape, all the way down to her spike belt with thin strings holding it together. She had pointed boots th-"Can I help you, little lamb?"

"Hm!?" Was I staring too much or something? I thought she was too busy talking to notice me looking at her. The way she turned to me reminded me of Vert when she wanted to...agitate Blanc as she folded her arms and looked at me with a smile. "I uh, I was just admiring your outfit! It's very...mystical looking? I don't think that's the right word for what I was trying to say. A-anyway, I'm-"

"Yes yes, you're Nepgear. Come on now, let's all head inside and have a seat." She cut me off, leaving me shocked as she turned around to lead us into the large purple tent that she had come out of. It was resting on a platform that was just an extension of the strip, but was so much bigger than the other attractions'. "I know all...about you..." The way she said that sent a chill down my spine, but I had no choice but to follow everyone else into the dimly lit tent...


	28. Scryed

_Unfortunately blue screen issues are still happening, and I can't figure out what the problem is. Well, this one, I solved the first one kind of, but now there's another reason why this thing is going crazy. I may just give up on trying to fix this and use one of my relics. I can only hope that it doesn't blue screen as well, or else things...won't end well. Anyway, back on lighter news, I've realized that working on these nonstop isn't necessarily a good thing because burning out has a slim chance of happening, but my little break couldn't be helped due to things I've already ranted about. I've been trying to warm up with another little short on the side about Nepgear, which was inspired by some art on Pixiv. I have no idea where I'm taking it since it was just supposed to be a one-shot and with Gear acting the way she is, I'm not sure if I should post it here. Although nothing too crazy will happen...can't believe I forgot to mention this last time, and if you want to give it a read shoot me a pm and I'll give you a link.  
_

_SRT - Yeah, I think I'll dedicate certain days to writing or something. It's best if I get a schedule or something and work with that, barring technical difficulties.  
_

_mega-dark - We'll just have to wait and see what she has planned for the girls.  
_

* * *

Magiquone lead us into her tent, which was much roomier than I thought judging from just the outside. IF and Compa must visit her frequently though, they didn't waste any time taking a seat at the table that was placed in the center of the room. The only thing that was on the table were several cards in a three by three formation at the chair closest to the back room entrance, along with a crystal ball that hovered at the center of the table. "Nepgear, you and your friend can take the other two seats." 5pb and I sat next to each and watched as Magiquone pulled the curtain covering the back entrance and started calling out to someone. "Linda! We have guests!" She threw the curtains back, sat down with a sigh, and stacked her cards to the side as she turned toward IF and Compa. Why does that name sound so familiar?

"Still being strict with the poor girl? I'm surprised she hasn't run away by now." I couldn't tell if IF was being serious or joking with her but she kept on talking. "Why not hire real help if she isn't doing well?" As I look around the room I've finally noticed the flimsy looking supports that's keeping this tent up. They're deceptively sturdy but...what's with the thin, web-like design that seemed to be etched in them?

"I have to be strict with her." Magiquone took her hat off and set it behind her on the chair. I hadn't noticed before but she wore a single, spikey moon earring and had black lipstick and heavy eye-liner. Her hair was a really light shade purple and its style reminded me of Neptune quite a bit, although it was a little spikier and she only had single, short bang on her right side. There was something about her eyes though... It's almost as if the eye-liner was put on a little thick, but not too much so it wouldn't draw attention to it...but as much as she put on it did the opposite to me...her eyes look a little red too. She looked at me with a sly smile that had me a little confused. Is she happy to see me or something?

"So who do you want to do first Magiquone? 5pb or our Nepgear?" As excited as Compa was about getting her fortune told she was sounded even more anxious to see one of us try the service out.

"Come again?" She paused for a moment to process what Compa said properly and smirked as she turned towards 5pb. "Ah, I think I'll start with you. Tell me, what answers do you seek?" She leaned forward with narrow eyes and a smile that would've had 5pb cowering under normal circumstances, but she didn't even flinch.

"I want to know how Cave is doing!" She slammed her hands onto the table enthusiastically as Magiquone's expression went from interested to bored. After seeing this 5pb changed her request a little. "I mean, whenever she goes on an extended break she always says to not follow her and to never ask her. Curiousity has been nagging me for as long as I can remember, and I just have to know!"

Magiquone's face lit back up when 5pb went into a little more detail about her request. "Hm, things have become interesting again...slightly. Even though it's yet another 'where's this person' request, the reasoning behind it is a nice change of pace. I'll gladly gaze into my crystal ball and discover what this...Cave has to hide." With a small flick of her finger the ball had left its pedestal and slowly hovered toward her, leaving 5pb and me in awe. IF seemed to be the only one remaining calm during all of this since Compa was getting a little excited herself. "Tell me child, what kind of woman is Cave?" The ball paused right in front of her and began to glow with a faint white light.

"Um...where do I start?"

"Anywhere child, hurry up before I lose my focus."

With a gasp 5pb immediately started talking. "Cave is like...like a big, motherly sister to me.. She's the one who helped me start my singing career and has looked out for me ever since we met. She might have trouble expressing herself sometimes...or all the time rather, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Oh, and she's amazing at-"

"Is she a red headed woman? Clad in a black and yellow outfit?" Magiquone interrupted with what sounds exactly like Cave, although I don't remember her wearing anything other than black and white. The image was incredibly faint and blurry, but I could almost make out what I assumed was Cave darting back and forth in a large, colorful area. "Do you see what I see, 5pb?"

"It's...as clear as water." Her eyes widened as she stared into the crystal ball. "There are so many flowers...what's she doing with them?"

Cave's figure darted about some more before the image faded away, leaving 5pb confused and Magiquone with a smirk on her face. "My my, quite the conniving woman we have here. No wonder she wants to keep this a secret. I can only show you so much, it's up to y-"

"Tea and cookies are ready!" A young woman with green hair emerged, with her pale back exposed, through the curtain-draped entrance with a cheery voice. "Hope everyone en-" She turned around and froze as her eyes locked with mine. Why couldn't I remember her name before!? Linda is Underling but...that doesn't mean Magiquone is her boss. Well, bad boss anyway, I can't jump to any conclusions just yet, especially since Compa and IF know her. I don't think she'd be willing to take orders from a normal human, if that...horrible play is anything to go by.

Magiquone, with a an incredibly annoyed look on her face, spoke to her without even looking. "How many times have I told you...to NOT interrupt my scrying?" I could hear the the teacups rattling very quietly as Linda stood seemingly still, with a look on her face that screamed 'help me'. IF was getting ready to say something, but paused and let her continue. "At the behest of my favorite couple, and their little friends...I'll spare you the usual punishment." She finally looked at Linda, who was still staring at me with a frightened look on her face, and then turned to me. "Do you know my assistant, Nepgear?"

"Um...I can't say I've seen her before." What do I say? I can't say just that, not with the way we've been looking at each other since she came in. "I'm just extremely hungry and I really, really want her to hurry up and serve the food. I may have given her a mean look when she stepped in..." It's not entirely a lie, I didn't get to eat a gel and everyone was making them sound so tasty.

Magiquone smiled slyly and motioned for Linda to put the tray down. "Oh? I never would've expected something so passive-aggressive from someone like you. May I ask why you're so hungry? You don't seem to be the type to let yourself starve like this." Everyone helped themself to a cup of tea from the tray that now lay at the center of the table...except Linda, who was still too afraid to move much so as to not anger Magiquone.

"Y-you're right." I may have lost my nerve a little when she actually bought my excuse for staring, but I think I can keep up the act. I discreetly pulled out an incredibly red gel and held it out for her to see. I'm fighting every urge I have to eat this for myself and gave her a short explanation. "They're like little super flavored snacks or something, I haven't had a chance to try them myself." Focus on the cookies instead Nepgear, that'll keep your mind off of whatever this is in your hand.

"Would you be so kind as to let me try this? I've never seen anything like it, yet I feel compelled to taste this." Magiquone's eyes widened a bit as she stared at my hand. Before I could lean forward to hand it to her a loud screech could be heard in the distance. "Linda...did you fix the sign I asked you about?" She only managed to shake her head as tears started to form in her eyes. The next screech sounded closer as Magiquone let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry, her incompetence seems to have caught up with her. IF, Compa, you know how sensitive Dolphins can get this time of year, right?"

"Of course." As expected Compa answered quickly and with confidence. "They're a little more irritable than normal during this season, but as long as people don't do anything crazy around them then they'll go about their way."

Another screech sounded off followed by the sound of people panicking, although it was a little closer this time. "What was that about a sign, Magi?" Wow, I would've expected a snappy 'don't do that', but I guess IF and maybe Compa can get away with giving her cute nicknames. "Please tell me no one was stupid enough do anything like fish now that the warning was gone."

An incredibly loud screech blared from overhead as the sounds of cloth tore and was snatched away from the secured posts in the ground. What could be seen were a pair Dolphin monsters soaring right above, the one further ahead had gotten the tent caught on while the one next to it was only doing its best to keep up. "All I wanted to do was help!" I caught a glimpse of a small girl trying to hang on under the cloth. "Come ooooon! All I was trying to do was help your kid!" Oh no...I recognize this voice and I think I saw red shoes poking out from underneath the stolen tent cover. The pair of Dolphins crashed near the entrance and shook the cloth off, revealing the last person I had hoped to see in a situation like this. "A little help la-er, Nepgear?"

Two red and yellow plaid Dolphins, one smaller and more faded than the other floated in front of us with Red hanging on to the large dorsal fin of what I assumed is the mother. I shook my head a little and got up, along with the other girls with the exception of Magiquone, as we tried to decide how to best handle the situation. 5pb was the first to cautiously approach them, and I tried to stop her but IF silently ran up to me to prevent too many people from getting close to it. "What did we just say? Unless we really want to piss them off we can't make sudden movements. 5pb is crazy for approaching, but maybe they'll sense how gentle and timid she is and will calm down."

The big Dolphin was shuddering as 5pb finally made contact with it, and calmly put her head on its nose and hugged it as best she could. They both looked like they were ready to calm down as she stroked the bigger ones nose...until Red started making strange noises. "Ah..."

"There there...the short girl didn't mean you any harm. Could you tell me what happened and calmed down? Do it for your little one, hm? Lyrica would appreciate it." That's strange, she's never referred to herself as that back when she wasn't so shiny and scaley. The big Dolphin's colors seemed to brighten back to a light pink, along with the little one.

"Aaaah..."

IF was still holding me back, and I could hear Compa doing her best to stop herself from yelling for 5pb to come back. The small Dolphin did in fact have something wrapped around it's body, like a giant, thin plastic ring almost similar to the ones that you'd find holding soda cans together. It looks a slightly secure...why would it attack Red if she was seriously trying to help? It looked like she was almost done.

"Choooo!"

I think I have an idea as to why they got mad at Red, I forgot how loud she could get. The Dolphin regained its red glow and started chirping furiously as it thrashed about, with 5pb holding on to its head still. "Please calm down! It was just a sneeze!" It's chittering went to full blown screeching that drowned out her words and frightened nearby passerby, possibly throwing itself into an even further rage. With a powerful buck it sent Red into the air and slapped her with its tail, sending her into the ocean behind where Magiquone's tent used to be. "H-how could you do that? That's not how I-" 5pb couldn't finish her sentence before the monster reeled its head and launched and slapped her even farther than Red, who had started to float away with the help of her makeshift dragon belt and...body type. A deep blood red now, the larger Dolphin gave one final screech and began charging toward IF and Compa. The young one seemed to droop a little before coming my way.

"Nepgear! Do your best to not hurt that one too much! The last thing we need is an actual reason for its mother to be pissed off." IF threw her jacket off and got ready to defend herself and Compa from the rampaging beast headed their way. I have to figure out how to get this ring off without hurting the poor thing, maybe that will calm the mother down...


	29. Family Crisis Averted

_Wow, this is a lengthy chapter, and I avoided the conflict I originally had planned. Anyway, sorry for the delay, life has more downs than ups it seems, and I got hit by a very big one recently. Either way, if you read the first Pudding story, I hope you enjoyed it because it was sort of an 'I'm sorry' for taking forever with this. Hopefully my quality of writing didn't drop during my downtime._

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I have to handle a young Dolphin? Histoire warned me about these, Fenrirs, and Dragons, and I did my best to avoid them during my journey to free everyone and stop the CFW from reviving Arfoire. I...failed to stop them from bringing her back but I managed to defeat her with the help of all my friends. I'll have to dig deep for this encounter, I need to defend myself but at the same time try to free this creature from its plastic prison while trying not to hurt it in case it resists. That's much easier said than done and I almost wish this was a normal encounter, I'm starting to miss defeating enemies without giving it a second thought. "Easy now little fella. I won't hurt you."

"Talking isn't going to help!" IF said angrily as she dodged over the elder Dolphin's charge with Compa in her arms. She let her take a stand and they both took their battle stances, slowly retreating to get the monster away from Magiquone's tent...or what remained of it. Amazingly she still hasn't budged and was looking incredibly agitated at the whole situation she had just been thrown in. "Nepgear pay attention!" In shouting that she startled the Dolphin focused on them and it shot a thick, watery beam at them, that resulted in a huge foamy explosion and a scream. "Compa!"

After the torrent of water settled I could see Compa standing in front of IF, taking the full force of the blast and literally soaking up all the damage that could've been done. "Sorry Iffy...it's up to you." She struggled to get to the side, out of everyone's way, and dropped to her knees. "I'm...I'm too soggy to go on..."

"Compa!"

"Nepgear! Handle the little one! Now! It's our best chance at calming its mother before they both go full berserk!"

"R-right!" It's my fault that they got distracted and couldn't move out of the way in time after all, I can't screw this up anymore. I took a brief look at the little Dolphin in front of me and tried to figure out how I'd get that plastic trash off of it. No point in talking to it anymore out loud, I don't want to risk distracting IF again. If I calmly make my way over to it maybe it won't attack. "Thatta-" Talking like this might not be enough...so hopefully moving towards it with the nicest of intentions will be enough? I'm pretty sure most feral monsters and animals alike are able to tell whether or not to trust someone...I guess I'll have to find out for myself.

It whimpered as I took a step forward and its skin seemed to return to its original colors a little. I fought back the next words I was going to whisper and in an attempt to comfort my unfortunate target and continued walking forward slowly. I had gotten so close in fact that I could see it shivering and it seemed to let me get near it. I had finally gotten close enough to see how tight the plastic ring was around its body and...it isn't as bad as I thought it was, although I hope this little one can stay still long enough for me to pull it off.

"Gah! Calm down you crazed beast! I don't want to hurt you!" IF grabbed the other Dolphin by the nose, stopping its charge barely and slowing its advance as her feet dragged along the ground. It swam in the air furiously, pushing IF back onto the main strip of Modellista and frightening the crowd that had gathered. "You're lucky your kid is involved, or else-" It let out a sharp screech and put even more power into its swimming but IF was ready this time and put her best foot forward and used the Dolphin's force against it, throwing it aside and took a moment to catch her breath as it flopped on the floor stunned.

Enough watching her Nepgear, you've got a job to do! I psyched myself up and prepared for the worst as I tried speaking with the young Dolphin again. "I'm not sure if you can understand me, but I'm going to have to be a little rough with you." I got a firm grasp on the plastic that was wrapped around it patted it on its head. "I'm going to need you to be a trooper for me, ok? How would you like me to pull?" It let out a weak chirp and backed up a little to try and pull itself out of the ring...which makes sense when I put myself in its flippers. The further along I get the easier it gets to pull this thing off, I just hope IF can hold off the mother for a few more seconds, although I still feel like I'm hurting it. "I'm almost done IF!"

Hands on her knees and panting she responded with a slightly irritated tone. "You know...if we weren't different from normal people that scream could've seriously messed us up." After that statement she gasped and shot straight up with a look of horror on her face. "Are there any injured people nearby!?" Before I could check around myself she had already finished looking around and back to me. "Looks like everyone got out of range in time, there's not a soul in sight. Good." After regaining her composure she calmly hurried to me to assist with pulling off the plastic ring off the young Dolphin and breathed a sigh of relief. "Now all we need to do is-"

"I-IF..." I tossed the ring aside and pointed at the mother, who had silently recovered and was slowly floating its way toward us without its menacing glow. I looked around to see that even Compa and Linda stopped what they were doing to pause, so she wouldn't accidentally spook the mother. It started making low noises but I couldn't help to catch a glance at Magiquone and...I can tell her crystal ball is shattered even from this distance! It wasn't split into pieces just yet, but I could see small chunks falling from it, and my heart skipped a beat. She looks extremely annoyed as well, and she still hasn't budged from her chair... "IF...I think I'm more afraid of your friend than our Dolphin situation at the moment."

Magiquone wasn't looking at IF, me, or anything in particular it seemed like. It felt as if she was in a trance, or doing her best to not fly into a rage over her broken equipment and if it wasn't for the chance of spooking this monster, I probably would've already said my good-byes to IF and Compa and left. I could see one of her eyes visibly twitching and she's tapping her finger on the table, slowly but rhythmically while staring off in the distance. The mother Dolphin's chirp brought my attention back to them and things seemed to finally to start calming down for us. I reached out for the mother, much to IF's horror, and put my hand on the side of its head without so much as a flinch. "Everything is ok, see?" I whispered to it as I moved closer, with IF getting more and more desperate in her silent attempts to get me to back off. It shivered when I my body came into contact with it, but still no resistance or anything, it just focused on checking to see if its child was fine. "We didn't mean any harm, the crazy la-"

"Chiiiii..." It twitched for some reason and...oh no.

"IF, what do we do? I think it's going to get ang-" I was already too late in asking her what to do as my grip instinctively tightened as the Dolphin fidgeted and slowly started gaining its darker skin tones. "No. No! You were doing fine up until now, please calm down!" I was being lifted off my feet by its bucking and I was afraid things would get crazy again...I don't think IF would be able to properly defend herself without hurting it, Compa is still soaked and doesn't seem like she can help much and Magiquone is still sitting there, with her eyes shut and her finger tapping faster against the table. I have to stop this before she gets involved, I get the feeling that we'll all be in trouble if any more damage is done to her possessions, or heaven forbid...her. I took a deep breath and stepped directly in front of the mother and grabbed hold of both her sides, embracing it as hard as I could.

In response IF retreated towards Compa and began defending her, probably due to this reckless idea of mine. I can't risk it getting away and rampaging throughout Modellista, and I don't think a single puff of my sleep powder will be enough to put this to rest. "Nepgear, have you lost your mind!? That's the last thing you want to do to a wild animal! You're going to end up getting hurt...worse!"

There was nothing IF or anyone else could say that would get me to let go, if I have to get hurt in order to save everyone then that's what I have to do. I could already feel myself being lifted off of the ground, but I managed to brace myself and just barely land feet first back onto the ground with a loud thud. "Tch...can't lose...my focus..." As it lifts me up again I try my hardest to concentrate and pour as much power into my sleep-inducing ability and land again with excessive force...hopefully missing the young Dolphin we saved. "Please...you don't want to do this..." These slams are already taking their toll on me, one of my legs are already throbbing in pain and the other...I can barely feel it. It's a wonder I'm even conscience with how hard of impact I was forced to make and it's already picking me up again, although much slower than before. "You don't-" Before I could even start trying to calm it down it seemed to have lost balance and fell over...throwing the both of us to the ground on our side...and crushing my left arm under its body.

"Ge-Ge!" Looks like Compa broke out of her daze, she sounds fine. That's good...I can't anything happen to her or else IF would be devastated. I'm sure Neptune and Histoire will understand that this was for the sake of friends...

I felt my grip loosening on the underside of the Dolphin and had to do everything in my power to dig deep into its skin, praying that its thick hide was enough to not be too hurt or bothered by me. "Ngh!" Once again we're elevated, much higher than before but I think I managed to get a hold of it before we took off, or else I would've fallen off already. With weak whimpers it tried to shake me off with weak barrel rolls and gave up after the fourth attempt I could feel it convulsing trying to stay high, but it looks like the both of us are going to be out in a few seconds. With one final strain I pour all my energy into trying to put the mother to sleep...before gravity finally takes a hold of us...and everything going black...

"Mmm..."

"Nepgear. Hey, Nepgear."

"Nnn...not now Uni I'm tired..." As gentle as that voice sounded it was still enough to make my head pulsate and I could barely make out what its saying. It feels like I'm stuck in a vice and every word is making it tighter and more difficult to even think. "Close the window...it's...drafty..." This breeze is pretty unbearable as well, although something doesn't feel right. It has a...salty feel to it or something...

"I'm n...oh alright. What are we going to do next?" The voice got a little clearer and started smirking to itself.

"It almost hurts to speak, but you know...the usual. Practicing close quarters combat on your bed, of all the strangest places and..." Wait a minute. That voice isn't anywhere near as high-pitched as Uni's! Ignoring the pain that shot all over my body I opened my eyes and was greeted by not only IF's smiling face, but Compa and surprisingly Linda as well, who immediately backed off looking around awkwardly with a light blush. My body shot up in shock, and I was far too embarrassed by what I just said to everyone else to be worried about the pain. "D-did I really just say that out loud?"

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with us. Right Compa?" Turns out I was lying in IF's lap for...who knows how long. I think the sun might even be rising as well...did I fall asleep somehow dealing with that Dolphin? Compa seemed to be fine now, she was standing up just fine and leaning against Magiquone's table, who had managed to stay seated there the entire time, but thankfully she didn't look as angry as she did before. "Oh right, you know those stories you hear about parents doing impossible feats when their child is in danger?" I nodded silently and rubbed my arm a little to test the extent of the pain, and it had gotten much more bearable than what I remember. "Well, you and the mother Dolphin got quite high before you worked your magic and knocked it out. The both of you separated mid fall barely managed to catch you. Luckily our angry friend didn't hit the ground too hard thanks to nature and everything was smooth sailing from there." Hehe, I guess the both of them really do think of me as their kid or something...

"What happened after she landed?" I looked around and sure enough, the mother and its young were no where to be found. All that remained was the plastic ring we successfully pulled off and a ruined plot of property. "Is...Magiquone still upset with me?"

IF stood up and explained a little while she walked over to Compa. "Not exactly. It's not entirely your fault her place was ruined, but-"

"Allow me, IF." Magiquone got up and headed towards me herself, with the sounds of her heels hitting the ground being the only noise to heard in the area. She also carried two small objects in her hand that seemed awfully familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what exactly. "As she was saying, it isn't entirely your fault that that woman clad in red was mucking about in business that isn't her. I suppose her heart was in the right place, but she was a fool to bother wild animals in the first place and I sincerely hope she learned her lesson...provided she and that other girl survived their little trip to ocean."

"Goodness!" I tried to stand up but my legs gave out from under me and I fell on my rear. "Why isn't anyone out looking for them?!"

"Have you forgotten?" Magiquone knelt down towards me and placed her free hand on my cheek. "Oh? Perhaps you didn't even know in the first place." She looked me dead in the eyes as she took my hands to place the items she was holding in them. I didn't want to run the risk of aggravating her by asking why she was handing me these items, so I nodded and placed them on the strap on my leg while she walked back to her table. "I'm a little...irked that some of my equipment has been damaged, but that's nothing a trip to Lowee can't fix. It was nearly time for Linda to pack up our things anyway."

I hadn't noticed but Linda had wandered off and was sitting on the ledge facing the rising sun while slouched over a little. She looked awfully lonely from here and if it weren't for the pain in my legs, and Magiquone looking at her intensely, I would've tried to sit down with her and try to enjoy the morning. She suddenly picked herself and started pointing out to sea with relieved look on her face. "5pb is back! She's ba-" Her excitement was cut short when she saw her superior glaring at her, so she bolted towards the table to started putting things away in her portable device. "Y-yes ma'am!" Poor girl...wish I could help...

IF and Compa got up and headed towards where Linda was sitting, when a hand suddenly rose out of from out of my view. "Phew!" Another hand came into view and sure enough it was 5pb pulling herself up from the sea. What the goodness was she doing there? "I searched all around but I haven't been able to find that short girl." She explained while pulling herself up and stretching. "She must've been carried off the by the shifting currents...which if I'm right...would've been flowing mostly towards the east, so she probably got washed up near Leanbox if anything. She seemed like a hardy girl before she...she'll be ok I'm sure."

"Isn't that where you and Ge-Ge are h-headed?" Compa shuddered as she spoke up. She may not be soaking wet anymore but if we've been here the entire night then she might've caught a cold...if she's even able to get sick. "Achoo! W-will the both of you look for her on your way or...or...orACH-!" She caught the second sneeze and relaxed back into IF's arms.

"Ok people, looks like the little lady got herself sick." After a quick second of focusing herself she hoisted Compa into her arms and started walking off. "We'll be back for our things, so feel free to leave them lying around. Guess we'll be stuck spending our final hours of vacations getting better..." With her tail wagging she she strolled off back to their place, but I have an idea that...no, it's best if I don't try to think too much of someone else's affairs.

"Come on Nepgear, the faster we get going the sooner we can save that crazy person!" Before I could get a chance to tell her I was in pain she pulled me up to her and beamed a wide smile at me. I couldn't say anything to put a damper in this new and energetic 5pb, so I nodded my head and turned to start walking down when I realized this would be a perfect chance to try one of the gels Gust had given me.

"Just a second..." I stopped abruptly to pull out the pouch full of what I assumed were extremely tasty snacks, while 5pb waited patiently for me. I don't know what's gotten into her but was asking for seconds the last time I had these out...but if she's ok with watching then I am too. Before I could toss the red glob into my mouth I heard a faint thud and very, very angry words following shortly afterward. I couldn't make out exactly what was being said, but I'm sure Linda was being scolded far too much for what just happened. I hope Linda doesn't mind me butting in...

"Why are you back here Nepgear?" Magiquone didn't even look behind her, and she managed to stop me cold in my tracks with just an icy tone.

"I...I thought that the two of you could use a snack after the what we just went through. I know it isn't much but...um... Oh, and I forgot to say thanks for the items you gave me."

"You look like you're in dire need of an actual weapon. Your struggle against that mindless beast was pathetic..." She stood motionless, with her back towards me and keeping her focus on Linda. "I believe you'll put those special beam sabers to good use. One is able to upgrade through the use of synthesis with simple and exotic materials alike. It would be best to use that in preparation for the other, which has been tailor made with you in mind." She paused and snapped her fingers and her voice regained its strict tone. "Retreive her gifts and see them off..."

Linda stopped what she was doing immediately and rushed over to me and guided back over to 5pb, whose scales were starting to shine faintly from the morning sun. "Look, you know as well as I do that I have a job to do." She took the gel I was holding, along with another from the bag, and backed up and tried to smile at me while still whispering to me. "Please, you'd be saving me a world of hurt if you'd go about your own business. Now scr-er, bye..."

I waved good-bye and lamented over missing another chance at eating a gel, and before I could for another one for myself I was grabbed by the wrist. With a sigh I put the bag back to my side and winced as 5pb pulled me along with her. "Hm? What's wrong Nepgear?"

I don't think there's going to be any good trying to hide it from her. "I'm still feeling sore from dealing with the Dolphins from last night. I thought my arm would be in the most pain but it's doing much better...can't say the same for my legs though. Wish I could've seen those two off and say sorry for what I had to do..."

"Hold on!" She suddenly turned around and wrapped my arms around her neck.

"Hold on for whaaaaaaa!" 5pb surprised me with a sudden piggyback ride into the ocean! After the chilly splash and resurfacing I couldn't help but to question her sanity. "Wh-wh-what the GOODNESS were you thinking? I can barely swim!" I do recall her saying that water does her a world of good, but this is a little too much.

"How are your legs?" She asked calmly as she easily swam away from the Modellista strip with me in tow.

They...feel pretty amazing right now actually. "S-sorry for yelling at you, it's just, normally you warn someone before d-doing something like this. My legs are f-fine outside of the sudden cold, but I can manage."

"Good...now let the sounds of the sea and the soothing waters help you relax a little while I take care of everything. We'll be on the shores of Leanbox in no time."

Now that she mentions it...I am feeling awfully relaxed...maybe she wouldn't me dozing...off...


	30. What's the Buzz?

_It's time for the long awaited (haha no) next chapter of Mon Nepu and I'm sorry ahead of time if the quality has dropped. Work and life related things have been keeping me up and down, mostly down with no end in sight. With a dose of good news comes two shots of horrible news, but that's nothing I should be venting about in intro to this. Point is I'm still kicking but I'm about to hit the offline time and the big move I've been dreading these past new months. Not sure when I'll be back online, which is a shame because with V rounding the corner I've somehow motivated myself to write even more, but with more focus. That and the Monster Hunter will hopefully keep me in high spirits as I cope with the lack of contact with the outside world. Enough of that, hopefully this intro chapter is enough to keep the few people that are following this interested because I'll be sure to make up for the peaceful conclusion of the last encounter._

* * *

"Neeeeepgeaaaar.~"

My ears perked as a heavenly, sing-song voice rang out nearby me. As I got up I could feel sand shifting around beneath me and...wait a minute. This is probably the easiest time I've ever had waking up as far as I can remember. The pain in my arm was nearly gone, and I think I can move legs about with no trouble at all...well, there's a slight hint of pain still but I can manage as long as I don't overexert myself. "Oh, good..." I took a quick glance at my N-Gear, which was surprisingly dry, and realized that the day had barely started. "...morning 5pb. You look like you're brimming with energy."

"Told you water does wonders for me!" She said with a bright smile on her face as she searched me for my bag of gels. Her scales still shimmered in the sunlight as she managed to pull out a bright orange gel and placed it in my hands excitedly. "Although...I have to admit that this won't last much longer, but it was fun while lasted. Now eat up, before something else comes up and you miss out on...no, I shouldn't spoil it for you. Just go ahead and enjoy!" She placed the bag back at my side and stood up to go pacing about while I tried to make sense of her words.

'This won't last much longer?' I have no idea what she means by that. Is she talking about...the morning? No, that couldn't be it, of course that wouldn't last much longer judging by the sun. "It's probably nothing. Now..." I turned my attention back to the new task at hand...literally. "...I'm going to do what I should've done a while ago!" Without a care in the world I took both hands and shoved the orange glob into my mouth and sprawled back to relax while I slowly chewed it. "Dis is gread!" No wonder 5pb was clamoring for seconds, this is delicious! The juices that poured out of the gel sent a pleasant chill throughout my body as they ran along my tongue. It tastes...an awful lot like tangerines too! Oh I bet Blanc would love these, I hope there are more leftover. "Whad is dat?" Oops, I guess I should finish my snack before trying to speak again. "What's that flying around in the sky?"

There was something strange circling us high in the sky, and I couldn't make out what it was even after standing up. I squinted as hard as I could but no matter how hard I tried I just can't seem to tell what that thing was. I motioned for 5pb to come over and I pointed up towards the spec in the sky but it...it dodged!? "Uh oh..." I had to have been seeing things, so I pointed at it again, and it was a repeat of before. "This isn't good, I only ever see her fly that high when she's in pursuit of a suspect..." She suddenly clasped her face and started panicking in place. "Did I mention she could be a little overprotective at times? Like...when anyone is with me without permission?"

Seeing her revert to her to her normal self would be a relief if she wasn't having this small panic attack though. She suddenly stopped to stare in the direction of that flying object, unaffected by the rising afternoon sun. The moment I looked to 5pb and saw her face, a large shadow was suddenly cast over me followed by the sounds of a really loud hum...or a buzz, rather. Shortly afterward we had to brace ourselves in order to not get knocked over by the delayed burst of wind that followed...Cave?

"Lyrica." The woman clad in yellow and black said in a calm manner. Her uniform was a little different from the Cave I'm used to; the top half of her outfit was a little less poofy than her previous design and was more streamlined, and she had antennae. They were normal, run of the mill antennae protuding from just in front of her little piece, and I couldn't help but keep my eyes on them.

"Yes, Cave?"

"Who is this? How did she find you? Why is she with you? In that order." Even though her words were directed at 5pb, every word that referenced me felt as if they indirectly pierced my chest and I feared for the worst. I...I never did find out how the Cave I know punished the people she arrested and put into custody...

"How a-"

"You know the procedure, Lyrica. Questions first, and if I have no reason to apprehend this woman then she'll be free to go." Cave said in an assertive tone as she touched down on the ground, withdrawing her wings, and got too close for comfort to me in order to put her head against mine. 5pb was trying to collect herself in order to answer the barrage of questions that was shot at her just now. I was too busy worrying about what this new, insect-like Cave had in store for me if she thought I was trouble and I was in no position to resist...

"Th-this is Nepgear, younger sister of Matriarch Neptune. She found me when..." She paused for a few seconds before going on. "...when I went to look for you because you were gone longer than usual and she's been helping me get back here."

Cave's gaze darted in 5pb's direction for a brief moment before returning to me and sighing gently. "I'll deal with you after I'm done interrogating this Nepgear character. If she is truly who you say she is, she should have no problems answering my questions." Goodness, what if she asks me something I couldn't possibly know the answer to? I've only recently woken up to this...world and all I know really is that I didn't get out much, Neptune is actually pretty active, and everyone I know has become some sort of monster. "Nervous?"

"O-only a little..." That was an understatement if there was ever one. Is she able to hear what I'm thinking? I...I don't think backing up is an option, that will make me seem even more suspicious. I shifted about in place to hopefully get into a less...stressful position and I couldn't help but notice that there was something moving around on my head. Actually...there were two somethings moving around, and I don't think Cave is willing to let me adjust any more.

"So you've noticed my antennae, have you?" She said with a sly smile, further worrying me. "It's already too late for you, Nepgear...if that is your real name..." She leaned in even closer to whisper into my ear, removing her antennae and holding onto me. "...I...snrk...I..." She released me and immediately started shaking as she turned around. I dropped to my knees in disbelief...is this really happening? To not only be found out by Cave...but for her to be so into her work that she's laughing about it...the fact that she's trying to hold it in is further proof that I'm going to get life...or wor-

"Cave!" 5pb interrupted my thoughts and ran towards Cave and grabbed her by the shoulders. "W-were you joking this whole time?" Joking? "That's not funny, you had the both of us scared to death!" Her eyes started to water up as Cave turned back to me with a slight smile on her face.

"My apologies, Ms. Nepgear. I believe I got a little carried away with myself." She knelt down to give me a hand with a sincere look on her face. I also couldn't help but notice that she was slightly different in some areas...a subtle change, but a change that irritate Blanc regardless. "No hard feelings?"

I brushed myself off a little and stared blankly at her. "You...you almost had me in tears! I thought I was in serious trouble for being any where near 5pb!" I had a little trouble keeping control over the volume of my voice and I think I was shouting at her, which probably isn't helping the situation. "What would possess you to do something like this?"

"Your sister." She said flatly.

"Wh-what does she have to do with this?" I was a little confused until I remembered that this Neptune in particular is pretty active, so it shouldn't surprise me that she's bumped into Cave at one point doing work. It makes sense now, I bet she bragged to her about how such a good girl I am, despite my supposed sleeping habits.

"She insisted I show you 'no mercy' should we ever cross paths, to see if you were ready for the outside world. You did well to not break, unlike the young sister of the Lastation Matriarch. Come now, let us make our way to Hero City, I still need to decide on how to handle my latest visitor." She started heading south, according to the N-Gear, with 5pb hot on her heels while throwing up a little fuss over what she did to me. I don't mind her having a little fun at my expense, especially if it was for my...sake...as well?

There's something protruding from Cave's lower back...around the the base of her spine but hidden under some of the flaps of her outfit and bobbed gently as she walked away. It feels as if I've done something like this before, really recently at that, but I can't help but creep towards Cave as she defended herself from 5pb's now playful bullying. Just a few...more...steps... "Gotcha!" I lunged forward with my right hand out with surprising speed. I might be thinking things but ever since I ate that gel I've been feeling perfectly fine; diving forward didn't hurt at all! I grabbed a hold of a small, soft , black and yellow extension of what I assumed was Cave's-

"Yaaah!" I heard a faint popping noise right before she yelped. Her wings extended with alarming speed as she soared forward in shock while grabbing her backside. "Aah! M-m-my-!"

"Cave, your-!"

I was too busy recovering from my fascination and touching...whatever it was to realize why they were freaking out so much. "Goodness! I-I'm sorry, I didn't know you were so sensitive down there!" I put my hands up to show I didn't mean any harm and it that was when I saw what was wrong. A small gun was in my right hand and it had the same stylish yellow-black color scheme that matched Cave's stinger. "Oh no! I-I didn't mean to rip it off! L-let me put it back...somehow..."

Cave flew towards me erratically and snatched the gun from my hand and got behind me while frantically mumbling to herself. "March!" She weakly pushed me forward and began whispering to 5pb. I tried to turn my head to see what was going on but she firmly held my cheeks in her hands and readjusted me. "I could have you restrained for what violating an officer! I was wrong to think you could be trusted with Lyrica! When we arrive in Hero City you'll have to deal with the conseq-"

"V-violated?! W-w-wait no, it was an accident, I swear! I was just curious and lost control back there. I mean a few moments ago!" Had I known something like this would've happened I would've tried to do a better job at stopping myself. I've probably lost what little trust with Cave and she's probably going to 'throw me in the slammer', as Blanc would say. At least I won't be the only one locked up since she's already got someone in custody...I just hope they aren't creepy or anything like that, I'm not too familiar with the people of Leanbox outside of Vert and Chika.

It's been a short while since Cave pushed me to the front and insisted I lead the way. Fortunately it looks like Hero City is slowly pulling into view, but I can't have things stay like this between us. While I thought about how I should go about making amends with her the sound of heavy footsteps drew closer. Without hesistation and remembering how cautious she had been I kept looking forward and greeted her. "I'm sorry Cave, really, I didn't mean to...do what I did to you."

Before I could continue her hand found its way on my shoulder. "Cave is still traveling a little behind us, but I've got an idea on how to maybe get her to speak to you again without being so...weird. It's been a long time since I've seen her act like this..."

"Anything to get back on Cave's good side." I don't want to imagine what the punishment is for humiliating an officer of her caliber, and I'd rather not find out the hard way. "What do I have to do?"

"Just talk to her. Like...tell her what your goal is. I'm sure she'd forget all about this incident if she knew what you've done up to this point. She can't say no to someone else in the pursuit of a criminal...just leave out any unnecessary details and you'll be fine." 5pb looked behind us and gave a light sigh before returning to Cave's side while muttering something under her breath. "By unnecessary details I mean try to leave me out of the dolphin bit of your story."

It's worth a shot I suppose. She may not approve of my...touching her there...but hopefully 5pb's plan is enough to get back on speaking terms at least. I'm going to need her help after all in getting more information on the world outside of Planeptune and trying to track down Linda. I have to put an end to whatever she's up to before anyone else gets hurt...herself included.


End file.
